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Chalk up another win for the Maple Leafs.
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This one came in front of the Class of 2024 Hockey Hall of Fame inductees on Friday night at Scotiabank Arena, a 3-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings.
Our takeaways from the victory that pushed the Leafs’ record 8-5-2:
DYNAMIC DUO
With captain Auston Matthews on injured reserve as he nurses an upper-body injury, John Tavares and Mitch Marner not only have continued their fine play, they’ve kicked it up a notch.
Tavares had two goals and Marner a goal and an assist, doing enough in what Tavares properly called a “low-event” game.
Tavares continues to shrug off what could have been a difficult off-season, when he handed the captaincy over to Matthews in August. He has 13 points (seven goals and six assists) in 14 games, helping to make observers forget that there had been questions during the summer about the Leafs’ potential issues at centre.
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“He has been outstanding,” defenceman Morgan Rielly said after the game. “He seems to have that unwavering focus and work ethic.
“As a teammate, when he comes in, you always know what to expect, and I think that’s an underrated quality. He puts in the time and the effort, and he’s just a real pro.
“I’ve enjoyed playing with him, and this year maybe more than ever, in the way that he has approached the last couple of months. The way that he comes in here and goes about his business, I think, is very admirable.”
Then there is Marner, who extended his point streak to seven games. With a team-high 18 points through 15 games, Marner is on pace for 98, though we won’t be taken aback if he makes a good push for what would be his first 100-point season in the National Hockey League.
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About the idea that the pressure of playing in the final year of his contract possibly would impact his play — never mind.
On coach Craig Berube, Marner has made a fine first impression.
“His leadership is excellent,” Berube said. “He leads by example with his play. He does as much defensively as he does offensively. He’s getting points because he’s doing things right the other way, and that’s a big part of it.”
Marner was thrilled to take the ceremonial opening faceoff against Wings captain Dylan Larkin, with Detroit legend Pavel Datsyuk dropping the puck.
“It was incredible,” said Marner, a fan of Datsyuk growing up. “A lot of guys there that I grew up watching. It was really cool to be a part of that, and hopefully I’ll try to get a stick off Datsyuk this weekend. It was something I’ll cherish for a long time.”
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CONFIDENCE IN POWER
After struggling through the first dozen games, the Leafs are now scoring in bunches on the power play.
Toronto scored on both of its power plays against the Wings, putting it at 6-for-11 in the past three games.
The belief that was missing before is evident now. Zone entries are better, and the Leafs are getting the puck to the net with consistency. They’re creating their own luck, as well.
A Marner pass that went off the stick of a Wings player and directly to Tavares wasn’t the kind of thing that was happening earlier. Tavares turned and beat goalie Cam Talbot.
“It was going to be a matter of time,” Tavares said of the success. “Some of the things that we’re preaching are starting to pay off … our pace, delivering pucks to the net, retrieving pucks and finding second and third opportunities and making it difficult on the goalie and screens. It’s good to get it going.
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“We have a lot of skill, a lot of talent, a lot of ability to have a really good power play.”
CLAMPING DOWN
The Leafs, however, have hit a dry spell at five-on-five, but they have been giving up little at even strength.
Nothing, to be exact, on Friday night, as Larkin’s goal was on a Detroit power play. This after Toronto shut out Boston on Tuesday.
The play of goalie Anthony Stolarz is key, obviously, but it’s crucial that the Leafs learn to play patient hockey now. It’s among the ingredients that should finally lead to success in the playoffs next spring. And we’ve come to know it’s not something the Leafs can simply turn on in April.
“Five guys being connected in the zone,” Marner said. “I think we’ve done a good job closing down the slot. We’ve played some teams that are really dangerous, that make a lot of great plays from below the goal line to the middle of the ice, and we’ve done a good job shutting it down.
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“When it gets up top, we’ve done a good job as wingers and D, and centres really, to get in lanes.”
Berube is not concerned about the lack of execution at five-on-five in recent games, as the Leafs have not scored a goal in that situation in their past three. Again, though, the opposition is getting little, which is key. Detroit had just 22 shots on goal, with 17 at five-on-five.
“I thought we grinded good in the offensive zone,” Berube said of the win over Detroit. “Had some really good O-zone shifts where we had the puck and we’re competing and hanging on to pucks.
“We didn’t get a lot of clean looks. You’re going to have games like that. It was great by the guys just hanging in there and not opening it up, not exposing anything, just keep playing.”
tkoshan@postmedia.com
X: @koshtorontosun
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