Senators beat Maple Leafs on Hockey Night

[Senators 6, Maple Leafs 3]
[Pension Plan Puppets]

The Maple Leafs got downed by the Senators on Hockey Night in Canada, but the bigger story was the latest odds for teams to win the Stanley Cup; with Toronto being #1 on the list at 8/1.

I'd smash that prop bet for the Ducks. Were I a gambler, of course. pic.twitter.com/b21AbaABVM

— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) October 20, 2017

Now for the highlight of the game.

Auston Matthews 7th goal of the year:


There were some good reads on the internet in regards to Matthews over on ESPN, and Down Goes Brown.

Maple Leafs move to 6-1 with win over Red Wings

[Maple Leafs 6, Red Wings 3]

[Pension Plan Puppets]

The Maple Leafs just keep on rolling. They added goals from Nazem Kadri, Zach Hyman, Auston Matthews, Connor Brown, Morgan Rielly, and William Nylander to win the game 6-3.

Here's Auston Matthews' 6th goal of the season, and 46th of his career:


That extended the Maple Leafs lead to 3-1. Matthews didn't register a point last evening in the Maple Leafs 2-0 statement win in Washington. It was the first game this season in which he didn't record one. Tonight, he not only hit the bullseye for the goal, but added a late assist.

The Leafs are off to an excellent start:

The @MapleLeafs have won six of their first seven games in a season for the seventh time in their 100-year franchise history. #NHLStats pic.twitter.com/3Dlw6Y1eZo

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) October 19, 2017

Auston Matthews beats the Canadiens with Two Goals on Hockey Night in Canada

[Event Summary]
[Pension Plan Puppets]

Auston Matthews was the entire show tonight in Montreal; a Hockey Night in Canada game. The Maple Leafs - who run things like the Runnin' Rebels on ice - won 4-3 in overtime to improve to 4-1-0 got two goals from their star to win the game, including an overtime winner.

The Maple Leafs also had goals from Marleau and James van Riemsdyk.

Matthews' 4th goal of the season:


Auston Matthews' 5th goal of the season, and GWG:


*A. Matthews (2 G, 0 A)
**J. Drouin (MTL) (1 G, 1 A)
***J. Petry (MTL) (1 G, 0 A)

This was Mike Babcock's 600th career win. It snapped a 14-game losing streak to the Canadiens for the Leafs.

Here are the Goal leaders after a couple of weeks, as of tonight:

New Jersey Devils 6, Toronto Maple Leafs 3

[Event Summary]

I watched a lot of this game while watching baseball. Tapping into iPad hockey is good.


There's Auston Matthews third goal this season. It came on a two-man advantage.

The Maple Leafs finally were slowed down by a surprise opponent in the Devils. It was a bunch of no-namers who scored and Cory Schneider was honestly the story in this one, saving 47 shots on a night the Maple Leafs put up 50 total.

*P. Zacha (NJD) (2 G, 0 A)
**M. Wood (NJD) (2 G, 0 A)
***C. Schneider (NJD) (47 Saves, .940%)

Notables:

New Jersey
J. Bratt 1 A
W. Butcher 2 A, +2
A. Henrique 2 A, +2, 5 SOG
M. Wood 2 G
P. Zacha 2 G


Toronto
A. Matthews 1 G, 4 SOG
P. Marleau 1 A
J. van Riemsdyk 1 G
D. Moore 1 G
N. Zaitsev 1 A, +1
W. Nylander 1 A

AUSTON MATTHEWS WITH THE OT GAME WINNER

[Event Summary]
[Pension Plan Puppets]

This was Matthews' second of the season. The Maple Leafs are now 3-0-0.

*A. Matthews (1 G, 1 A)
**C. Brown (1 G, 0 A)
***R. Panik (CHI)

Notables:
Toronto
N. Zaitsev 1 G, 1 A, +2
J. van Riemsdyk 1 G
F. Andersen 18 S, 3 GA

Chicago
J. Toews 1 G
J. Rutta 1 G, 1 A

Quote:

"I just walked in and tried to fake a pass, get (Forsberg) leaning a bit and snuck it by him," Matthews said.
"I thought we showed a lot of poise being able to crawl back into it," he added. "As the game went on we got better and better and that's the way you want to play."

Jack Eichel Goal #1

The first of the 2017 campaign for Eichel, in a 6-3 loss to the Islanders. He's my keeper first rounder in my fantasy league. Need Eichel to be a gem.

Connor McPerfect: McDavid records first Hat-Trick in Oilers Opener History

[Box Score]

Connor McDavid is something else, man. He is the talk of the sports world even for fringe hockey fans at this point. Even ESPN has to give alerts on the guy after what he did on opening night in the NHL season at Rogers Center.

Here's a look at his three goals:

Matthews and Leafs get Opening Night Route 7-2 in Winnipeg

[Box Score]
[Pension Plan Puppets]

Matthews goal #1:


Matthews had two assists in addition to the goal. Patrick Marleau added two goals on five shots in his debut.

Mitchell Marner had a goal and an assist. James van Riemsdyk had a goal and two assists. It was a phenomenal opener for the Maple Leafs on the road and a statement performance.

A Great Game of NHL 18

I played this game of NHL 18 the other night - and it was an absolute classic. I went into Montreal and took out the first place Habs while spending most of the game short handed.

Enjoy the Auston Matthews show. I'll periodically update things on my franchise on here.

Mike Keenan

Somehow I landed on this old Deadspin post about Mike Keenan by Jeremy Roenick. It definitely belongs on this blog. It's a great read. 

I fell asleep this afternoon watching a Mike Keenan documentary on YouTube. Three cheers for the hardass coach. 

Auston Matthews is rated 87 overall in NHL '18

So I definitely think I am buying NHL 18. There is some discussion on Auston Matthews' rating of 87 overall in the game that will release September 15th, 2017. 

Here are more details:

Connor McDavid is not only the cover athlete; but the top rated player in the entire game at 93 overall. I will talk a lot about my franchise or 'Be a GM' play on this blog after I buy the game. I am 95% set on being the Maple Leafs and 5% chance I'll try out McDavid and the Oilers. 

Projected Opening Night Leafs Lineup?

This is from Editor in Leaf:

Marleau – Matthews – Nylander
Toronto Maple Leafs
JVR – Bozak – Marner
Komarov – Kadri – Brown
Hyman – Moore – Kapanen

Marleau/Matthews/Nylander could be unreal together.

Don Cherry sang the 7th inning stretch at Wrigley yesterday

He may have changed the lyrics, and disappointed #Cubs fans, but Don Cherry made up for it with the #GoHawks at the end. pic.twitter.com/N4pJBbv6XH

— Michael Klinck (@MichaelKlinck) August 19, 2017

Don Cherry sang "take me out to the ballgame" yesterday at Wrigley Field during the seventh inning stretch. It was a nice little surprise to see him at a baseball game and in another mainstream sport. Don Cherry is just the greatest.

Taylor Hall's run of bad luck

Pro Hockey Talk had a nice post up about Taylor Hall's run of bad luck, and I can agree. As much as I loved Taylor Hall; he was maybe my favorite player to ever watch since the inception of this blog - not the best pound for pound - but my personal favorite, every time he would take several steps forward there would seemingly be something that set him back waiting around the corner.

There were scathing takes in Edmonton in his final days there such as this one:

Hall has proven he’s not captain material, Pinder said. “The biggest awkward part of it in Edmonton is that Connor McDavid should be the captain of that hockey club, but Taylor Hall still struts around like he’s king of the jungle. It’s over. If he was a great leader, he’s have a ‘C’ on his chest and this team wouldn’t be in the basement every year… There seems to be an acceptance of poor result and that is not what you see with some leaders. They don’t allow that to happen. They get mad. They call teammates onto the carpet. And that’s not what Hall does. And he’s the guy that has the biggest value. Trade him for a bloody defenceman that knows how to play defence.”

I really hope to see the Devils get Hall to the playoffs. He strikes me as a guy who could have a remarkable run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. I am really sad that it didn't work out in Edmonton, and the trade for the blue liner the Oilers got remains one of the most hated I've ever seen go down in sports.

Hall is a likable guy who is still just 25 and forever in front of him. I hope to see him continue to put up big numbers and definitely miss watching him play for the Oilers.

2017-2018 Hart Trophy: Bovada Odds

Per a post today at Pro Hockey Talk, the odds to win the Hart Trophy have been posted, with Connor McDavid coming in as the favorite:

2017 – 2018 – Who will win the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s Most Valuable Player?
Connor McDavid (EDM) 3/2
Sidney Crosby (PIT) 5/2
Auston Matthews (TOR) 17/2
Alex Ovechkin (WAS) 9/1
Patrick Kane (CHI) 14/1
Vladimir Tarasenko (STL) 15/1
Evgeni Malkin (PIT) 16/1
Carey Price (MON) 20/1
John Tavares (NYI) 20/1
Jamie Benn (DAL) 25/1
Steven Stamkos (TB) 25/1
Erik Karlsson (OTT) 33/1
Nikita Kucherov (TB) 33/1
Jack Eichel (BUF) 50/1
Ryan Getzlaf (ANA) 50/1
Patrik Laine (WPG) 50/1
Brad Marchand (BOS) 50/1
Tyler Seguin (DAL) 50/1
Nicklas Backstrom (WAS) 60/1
Brent Burns (SJ) 60/1
Braden Holtby (WAS) 60/1
Phil Kessel (PIT) 60/1
Artemi Panarin (CBJ) 60/1
Joe Pavelski (SJ) 60/1

It is very interesting to note that Auston Matthews checks in at third in the odds.

Connor McDavid Orange Jersey Preorder

Another major want crossed off the list. Although not as big as Auston Matthews. This is a GREAT figure.

Auston Matthews Figure Preorder

My all-time figure want.

Auston Matthews got a cool tattoo of a Lion

Honored @AM34 got a tattoo of me on his arm. Don't tell Carlton 😉 pic.twitter.com/b6RnqkJIpy

— Bailey LA Kings (@BaileyLAKings) June 6, 2017

There was some talk at the beginning of the summer of Auston Matthews getting a tattoo of a Lion on his arm.

The article causes some fear in regards to the mascot of the Los Angeles Kings reaction to Matthews' tattoo:

Do Matthews and Bailey know something the rest of us don't?

Matthews has two years remaining on his entry-level contract that, once performance bonuses were factored in, paid him $3.8 million US, according to capfriendly.com. He will become a restricted free agent following July 1, 2019, which means the Kings could make him an offer, though it will cost them heavily in compensation.

Not to mention the Leafs are likely to lock up the Calder Trophy favourite with a long-term mega-millions deal before it comes to that, so Leafs fans shouldn't be concerned.

Fears are calmed at the end. I need to see Matthews playing in Toronto for years to come. Money talks.

Auston Matthews: Birth of a Phenom

I ran across this video today on YouTube about Auston Matthews. It's truly sick. Love the song.

"No Idea Why" by TV Torso.

Auston Matthews Figure REVEALED

Along with Patrick Laine today on the ID Figures page. This is the big one. This is my all-time want in terms of a sports figure.

More to come as more news breaks when it is available to order. Stay locked on NHL Figures.

Also, it was Maple Leafs Day on Pro Hockey Talk. They had a big post up about them yesterday.