Leafs’ Nick Robertson expresses confidence in his game after scoring 1st goal of season

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nick Robertson is feeling confident about his game, after scoring his first goal of the season during Saturday’s 4-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres.

After being a healthy scratch on Friday night against the same opponent, Robertson responded by doing what he typically does: stepping and scoring in his first game back in the lineup. Late in the first period, captain Auston Matthews applied heavy pressure on the forecheck to snag the puck off Bowen Byram down low. He sent the puck to Easton Cowan, who spotted a wide-open  Robertson that made no mistake.

Speaking with reporters after the game, Robertson said he felt comfortable slotting up on the top line alongside Matthews and Bobby McMann.

“ I felt a little more familiar, just a little more puck touches,” he said. “I mean,  it’s so much easier to get in the game and he’s such a talented player.  Playing with Bob too, it makes it so much easier and kind of getting in the game and then feeling good about it.”

His audition on the top line came about because of William Nylander being a late scratch, who was already considered questionable going into the game. Robertson said he got word that he would be getting the promotion about 10 minutes before the game started from assistant coach Marc Savard and felt relaxed because of the level of confidence that Matthews instills with his linemates.

Given how uncertain his long-term future remains with the Leafs, Robertson knew what he had to do with the opportunity presented to him.

“ No different. I mean, you guys know; it’s not a situation that I’m foreign to,” he said on his mindset prior to puck drop.  ”Just gotta come in and obviously they play a back-to-back, so I have to find the energy, have that advantage.  Want to come to the games, just play with a lot of energy, and fortunately I got that one.”

Robertson did well in his minutes and was able to be utilized late in the contest before the extra frame, a sight that hasn’t always been presented to him. And while one win doesn’t secure his spot in the lineup for good, it gives him something to build on as he looks to lock down his place on the team.

It certainly helped to see Jake McCabe bring the physicality, which Robertson noted the fight gave the Leafs some much-needed momentum when things felt like they weren’t clicking.

“It’s huge. I mean, we need that,” he said. “ We need that energy, we need that grittiness.  He had a big hit and a good fight and he played a great game. So it was good to see him do that.”