LEAFS’ DIAMOND TRIO SHINES IN MONTREAL WIN
Matthews, Nylander and Hyman ready to dominate each time they go over the boards
As much as Auston Matthews and William Nylander are putting in the effort to reach their full potential, there’s a crucial factor at play when the two Toronto Maple Leafs wunderkinds are on the ice together.
“When players think the same way, the chemistry is there naturally, so that’s why I think (the positive results are) happening,” Nylander said after the Leafs beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 in overtime on Saturday night.
“The chemistry gets better and better throughout the year and every time you play together, you start to get used to each other’s small actions. It’s a good thing.”
Nylander’s pass to Matthews in overtime — followed by the latter’s finish, beating Carey Price for the winner — was the latest piece of wizardry between the two. Zach Hyman has been a sharp complement on the line since coach Mike Babcock put the three together last season.
And as much as some still wonder what Patrick Marleau might accomplish on Matthews’ wing on a regular basis, they’re going to be waiting a while to find out.
There’s little that needs to be said among Matthews, Nylander and Hyman when they’re on the ice. That chemistry mentioned by Nylander, the instincts the three share, make them a threat to dominate each time they go over the boards.
“For the most part, we have always been like that, been able to find each other (without being vocal about it),” Matthews said. “The whole dynamic of our line has (gone) pretty well with Hyman and we look for each other out there. We all have our specific role and our main goal is to create offence, score goals and make plays to each other. When we are doing that, working hard and skating both ways and we have the puck, I think it plays to our strengths.”
And then some. Matthews is on quite the run going back to the final month of the 2016-17 regular season. Including his five goals in five games to start 201718, Matthews has scored 14 goals in the past 18 regular-season games, and he has been nothing short of outstanding on the road. Dating back to late last March, the Leafs are 6-1-0 in their past seven road games, in which Matthews has nine goals and three assists. Matthews has scored at least one goal in each of those road games.
Next up for the Leafs is a visit to Washington to play the Capitals on Tuesday at the Capital One Arena. It will be the first meeting between the clubs since the upstart Leafs gave the Caps all they could handle in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs in April, eventually being eliminated in six games. Each game was decided by one goal. In each of the final four games of the series, Matthews scored a goal.
What speaks to Babcock’s trust in the line as a whole is that the three are in the range of 65 per cent defensive zone starts at even-strength. Last year, it was 37 per cent for Matthews.
A small sample size of five games, to be sure, but it’s an indication of what’s to come for the trio. The three have demonstrated they’re more than capable.
In the bigger picture, Nylander’s setup of Matthews in the extra period, on top of Matthews’ quick release goal in the first period, gave the Leafs a win in a game that easily could have wound up as a victory for the Canadiens.
EYES ON ANDERSEN
We’ll take more of that, please. That’s the message Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock will pass along to goaltender Frederik Andersen once the Leafs return to practice on Monday after enjoying a full day off on Sunday.
Andersen’s 31 saves, including 13 in the third period when he held the Montreal Canadiens off the scoreboard, were crucial in the Leafs’ 4-3 overtime win on Saturday night.
“We needed Freddy to do that,” Babcock said.
“It has not gone the way he wanted exactly, our record is good, but we know he can be way better.”
The Leafs’ ability to fill the opposition’s net has allowed them to overcome some spotty goaltending from Andersen, who acknowledged after the game the early going has been “a tough little bit” for him.
On Saturday, Andersen raised his save percentage to .880 from .871, so there remains plenty of room for improvement.
The whole dynamic of our line has (gone) pretty well with Hyman and we look for each other out there. We all have our specific role.