Mark Masters: Toronto Maple Leafs won t rest regulars, but Sheldon Keefe will manage minutes tsn.ca - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from tsn.ca Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Brett Kulak and Nick Suzuki scored for the Canadiens.
Author of the article: Erik Leijon • Special to Montreal Gazette
Publishing date: May 09, 2021 • 1 week ago • 3 minute read • Maple Leafs forward John Tavares (91) tries to skate the puck against Canadiens defenceman Jon Merrill (28) and forward Ryan Suzuki (14) in the first period at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Saturday, May 8, 2021. Photo by Dan Hamilton /USA TODAY Sports
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The Maple Leafs scored three unanswered goals in the second period to defeat the Canadiens 3-2 Saturday night at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. The win sealed first place in the North division for the Leafs, while the loss prevented the Habs from punching their ticket to the playoffs just yet.
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The Canadiens put you in mind of an oldies’ radio station where the hits just keep on comin’.
With fewer game-breaking scorers than the Maple Leafs, hits have become part of the DNA in their CH crest, leading the NHL with 1,512 as of Friday, with a 37-14 margin over Toronto on Thursday night. Even if the league has an inconsistent or generous definition of what’s a legit hit, the Habs would still be far ahead of the Leafs, whose 933 rank them 28th overall.
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Joe Thornton has seen a lot in his 23 NHL seasons, so he understands better than most just how special a year Auston Matthews is having. It s incredible, Thornton gushed. What he s doing right now, what he s on pace for, this doesn t come around very often. What he’s doing is exceptional.
Matthews has 39 goals, which is eight more than Edmonton s Connor McDavid, his closest pursuer. Over the past 30 years, only two players had a nine-or-more goal lead at the time of his 40th goal: Alex Ovechkin in 2013-14 and Jaromir Jagr in 1996-97. I just think he s turned a switch on, Thornton said. He s always had it in him, [it’s] just getting a couple more years under your belt. Every time he goes to play a game he expects to score and that s a good feeling to have. He s a confident guy and he s playing extremely well.
TSN Toronto Reporter Mark Masters reports on the Maple Leafs, who practised at Ford Performance Centre on Sunday before travelling to Montreal.
Two more goals for Auston Matthews on Saturday. Two more assists for Mitch Marner.
Toronto s dynamic duo continues to lead the way as the Leafs close in on their first division title since the 1999-2000 season. You could look back to the stone age and see chemistry between those two, said defenceman Travis Dermott. When they re buzzing like they are it s easy for our team to get going.
On Saturday, the Leafs fell behind early and looked sluggish against the Vancouver Canucks. Then, late in the first period, Toronto s top line turned a defensive-zone draw into a goal in the blink of an eye.