Rielly goes from goat to OT hero
Leafs bank big points in road-trip opener before Florida swing
RALEIGH, N.C.— Morgan Rielly has had better games. But the Maple Leafs defenceman had quite the finish Saturday night.
With the game on the line, Rielly controlled the puck through the Carolina zone and scored the overtime winner in Toronto’s 3-2 decision over the Hurricanes. It was the Leafs’ third win in a row and opened a three-game road trip that has make-or-break implications in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
“It’s a big win for us,” said Rielly. “We knew how important this road trip is. To start with a win is definitely a good feeling.”
Rielly had a hand in two other goals, though — both Carolina’s.
Victor Rask used Rielly as a screen to open the scoring. And Rielly wore the goat horns later, deflecting a point shot past Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen for Carolina’s second goal, credited to Jordan Staal.
Rielly wore a look of disgust after that marker and went to apologize to Andersen.
“I went over to Freddie and said sorry,” said Rielly, relieved after scoring the winner. “(It was) a big point we really needed.”
Andersen said Rielly had nothing to apologize for: “That’s one, I should have had. He shouldn’t feel too bad, but I’m glad he scored the (OT) goal.”
The win — paired with a 4-3 loss by the New York Islanders loss in St. Louis — moved the Leafs back into a playoff spot, holding down the second wild card with road games on tap Tuesday against the Panthers and Thursday against the Lightning — both also in hot pursuit.
It was a win the Leafs perhaps didn’t deserve. They were outshot and outplayed. Andersen had to be spectacular again, facing 38 shots.
“As long as we win, I don’t care how many shots (I face),” said Andersen. “It’s always fun to play. It gets more fun the more you win.
“We need the points, so it’s nice to get away with a win,” added Andersen. “When they scored twice, it was good for us to show we can come back.”
Whenever the Leafs trailed, before Rielly’s magic, it seemed to be Mitch Marner and Co. to the rescue on offence.
“Mitch hasn’t been quite as good, but tonight was maybe his best game since he’s been back (from injury),” said coach Mike Babcock.
“He really had jump and pushed the pace of the game, and had the puck a lot. He had some excitement about him.” Marner and James van Riemsdyk each had a goal and an assist. Tyler Bozak picked up a helper.
“That was our best line,” said Babcock. “Mitch was skating, James was skating. They were real effective. Bozak went through a bit of time where he wasn’t feeling any good. He’s feeling better now and that’s important, that those guys are going for us.”
Since Marner returned from an upper-body injury, his line has been on fire. Marner has points in five straight games (two goals, five assists) as does Bozak, while van Riemsdyk has two goals and two assists in that span.
“All three of us were touching the puck. We were moving it around pretty good,” said van Riemsdyk, referring to the hot streak. “It’s a combination of a lot of things. You’re working hard. You’re getting bounces. You’re reading off each other pretty well.
“With our line, we’re so adaptable and able to make smart plays with and without the puck. That’s what gives us success. We can play in different styles of game.”
It was the Leafs’ sixth win in overtime — they are 6-6 in three-onthree, 1-8 in the shootout. Overtime wins are as important as regulation wins in the standings as the first tiebreaker (designated ROWs for regulation-overtime wins). The Leafs have 30. The Islanders, who trail by a point, have 31.
The Leafs have come from behind to register wins in their last two games. Marner was simply happy to start a road trip with a win after going 0-2-1 last time on the road.
“We started playing the way want to, and things are going our way,” said Marner.