Finally, Jesperi Kotkaniemi is going again. Indeed, he scored his third goal of the season at Centre Bell in Montreal on Thanksgiving night. Here's a look, and man was I happy to see this.
It would end up Kotkaniemi's only shot - he also added an assist(!) - in a nice 13:42 of ice time. It's a start on a little streak for the kid, who hopefully ends up the cornerstone in a few years.
The Habs are a mess right now. Coming off an 8-1 loss to the Bruins, this loss marks their sixth straight of the year. After a promising start, they're now a very mediocre 11-9-5.
It's nice to see Kotkaniemi outshine Jack Hughes on home ice.
Imports Dragon has pulled out all the stops for their local star, 19-year old Jesperi Kotkaniemi. The star Centre is one of just three players in the NHL who was born in 2000. Now, he has one of the most coveted figures in the history of the line. You cannot order this figure in the United States. Furthermore, the only way to get it is to go to the Bell Centre in Montreal; or your local Jean Coutu if you're in Montreal directly.
I've had several Montreal natives searching for me to get this figure and they're not easy to come by.
Finally, when I find a way to land this figure I will definitely report back. It's cool to have a great young player in a city like Montreal. That's one of my hockey bucket lists, to see this team play in Montreal; and I've felt that way since reading The Game by Ken Dryden.
Moreover, the Canadiens got their first win tonight; beating up the St. Louis Blues 6-3 in regulation in Montreal. It was a nice upset, and I picked off the Canadiens for a nice bet here. It all feels pretty fateful, with the figure being released.
The kid only saw 11:31 of ice time tonight (Game Summary), but it's nice to have him getting experience with a group like Jonathan Drouin, Shea Weber, Brendan Gallagher, Max Domi, and Tatar.
Coming off a 44-30-8 season, it's going to be interesting to see this team take shape and become one of the top teams in the NHL again. I can't wait to get ahold of this figure.
Incredible game in Boston tonight in the 2-2 series between the Maple Leafs and Bruins, and I watched every second.
Matthews broke a scoreless tie with his fourth goal of the series. Honestly, this could be the Maple Leafs year, as the number one seed is bounced on both sides (Calgary went down 5-1 tonight in Alberta to the Avs).
This is the first time in NHL history that both number one seeds have been eliminated in the opening round of the NHL playoffs.
Toronto will now be tasked with closing it out in Toronto on Easter Sunday. WOW.
Mine and my ex's team got back on track tonight coming back from a 3-0 deficit in Toronto. It was against her dad's team. I spent two games recently in Canada.
It was a storybook beginning for the John Tavares/Auston Matthews era, right in Toronto on Opening Night.
Auston Matthews got on the board twice, including the game winner. Here are his two goals:
Power Play, Goal #1 of 2018-2019:
Overtime Game-Winner, Goal #2:
Matthews has 76 career goals now, and although he began opening night on the Leafs second line; he's going to be knocking on the door of 100 soon enough. I think he wins the Rocket Richard trophy in goal scoring this year, and the Leafs are finally in a Stanley Cup Final.
I thought this was a great image from Imports Dragon figures. And a perfect figure. I need to get this figure graded. It's an all-timer hockey collectible.
Oh and here's the game where he lit the lamp four times and had an apple in Edmonton.
https://youtu.be/Xd-B92lydcs
41 goals, 67 assists and 108 points in his 2017-2018 campaign. Mr. Ross Trophy.
On a night where a terrorist attack happened in Toronto, on a night where the Columbus Blue Jackets were eliminated by the Washington Capitals in game six here in Columbus. The Toronto Maple Leafs played game six in their city like their lives were on the line. These guys sacrificed so much to force a game seven for their city, overcoming all odds and trying to advance in a series they trailed 2-0 and 3-1.
The Maple Leafs entered as underdogs, but I saw a team play as a team. Frederick Andersen several times was out of position, only to have a Toronto skater make the save for him. Andersen made so many improbable saves on his own. He stopped 32 of 33 shots. Boston took the lead 1-0, but Toronto charged back from there and wouldn't be denied.
Auston Matthews had an assist waved off for goalie interference on the Leafs. But this team is gutty. They'll look to him Wednesday night to do something he's never done before in his career. The biggest goal in the biggest moment wins and advances. One of these tremendous teams has to go home.
The winner Wednesday night gets to face the #1 seed Lightning.
Game three was an absolute dream of a game for the Maple Leafs. I'm not sure if it's the apex of the entire season or not at this point.
So I'm trying to savor as much as I can of it before Thursday night arrives. The Leafs are installed as early -115 to -110 slight favorites over the Bruins. They went off at -105 the other night, so they have appeared to at least halt the Bruin momentum for the time being in the eyes of oddsmakers.
Great read here at Yahoo! about Auston Matthews answering the bell in game three with the biggest goal of the year.
My team really did it. I watched the entire game. The Maple Leafs will not be swept in futility as it looked in games one and two in Boston. My favorite player rose at the big moment and scored the biggest goal of the game to give his team the final lead.
This was an incredible game. The Leafs are very much alive; for now. Trying to hang on until Nazem Kadri returns from suspension and extend this series out long.
Here's a look at Auston Matthews' first goal of these playoffs, a beautiful snipe that gave the Maple Leafs a 3-2 lead. A lead that would hold up (Patrick Marleau later scored his second goal of the game to make it 4-2).
Frederick Andersen stood on his head for several saves to keep this a 3-2 game. These teams really played hard, and fast paced. Zdeno Chara scored an incredible goal to make it 2-2. This was action packed for three periods. The Toronto crowd was outstanding from the anthem to the final whistle.
It was a Monday night in Toronto, and all was safe and well for a night. The Maple Leafs extended the season against the seemingly unstoppable Bruins; for at least a game.
Part of Canadian hockey closes a chapter. They have three games left to play, but it's going to be weird next year not having the Sedin's as part of the fraternity on-ice.
As the Maple Leafs come down the home stretch with just three regular season games remaining, things are not looking as up as they were when the season got underway. There is some talk of a first round exit to the Bruins. But yet, Auston Matthews has pressed on. In a difficult and injury-shortened season; Matthews once again found the way to cross the 30-goal plateau.
These are goals 70 and 71 of his illustrious young career.
Goal #30:
Goal #31:
I want to see Matthews take it to another level in the playoffs, and let it all hang out. If he goes to the next gear in the first round or otherwise, the Leafs can get by absolutely anyone.
Auston Matthews returned from injury and hit a top shelf wrist shot for his 29th goal of the season. What could have been this year in the way of goal scoring if Matthews had not had three stints of missed games.
He's played in 55, 29 goals and 23 assists. The Maple Leafs are mostly playing out the string, trying to get ready for an opening round playoff matchup. It's going to be an absolute barn burner with the Boston Bruins; so things will get ugly early with a true test. Some people think the Bruins are suited to win the Stanley Cup.
It was nice to see Matthews get back out there, and at some point in the final few days, he's going to tally goal number 30. With the way things have gone with his health all year, it's still been an incredibly productive season when he's out there. He's +24 on the year. It's a different game when he's on the ice for Toronto.
