Leafs pull out a win in overtime
David Rittich was 88 seconds away from 91 years worth of history.
The Calgary Flames' backup goalie ultimately settled for just a single point.
He deserved better, although that's not to say he was let down by any of his buddies.
Rittich was questing on Wednesday to become the first goaltender to blank the Toronto Maple Leafs in two consecutive games since way back in February 1930, but William Nylander spoiled his shutout bid with 1:28 remaining in regulation time and then scored again in overtime.
Oh so close to completing a twogame sweep of the league-leading Leafs, the Flames instead left Scotiabank Arena with three of a possible four points.
Rittich made 71 saves while he was there and yet, as fiery a competitor as there is, smashed his stick on the glass as he made a beeline to the locker-room after Nylander's overtime winner.
“So close,” said Flames alternate captain Mikael Backlund. “We were hoping for the win, and for him to get the shutout. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. But he played really hard, he played really well, both games here.”
Rittich, currently the Flames' go-to goalie due to an injury to workhorse Jacob Markstrom, should be brimming with confidence despite the deflating finish. He followed up Monday's 34-save shutout with 37 more stops in the rematch.
Truth is, the entire team should take plenty of good out of this twogame pit stop in the centre of the hockey universe.
When they arrived in Toronto, the Flames were fragile, frustrated, seemingly on the brink of a free-fall after being blown out twice in a four-night span.
Thanks to Rittich's stingy puck-stopping, a run of perfection from their short-handed staffers and workmanlike performances from throughout the lineup, they proved something against the Maple Leafs. Maybe to themselves as much as anybody.
“Lots of positive things about what we did in those two games,” Rittich acknowledged. “The first one is that we kind of showed every single team that we can play against everyone and we can beat them. That's a good thing.”
For most of Wednesday evening, nobody could beat Rittich or Maple Leafs' third-stringer Michael Hutchinson, himself pressed into action due to injuries.
This showdown was scoreless for 56-plus minutes before a quick pass by Matthew Tkachuk and a blocker-side strike by Andrew Mangiapane staked the Flames to a 1-0 lead with 3:27 remaining to the finish line.
The hosts pulled their goalie for an extra attacker and capitalized during a goalmouth scramble, as Nylander shovelled the puck through a crowd on what was Toronto's 37th shot of the evening with just 1:28 showing on the clock.
Just over a minute into overtime, the Leafs winger cruised around Sean Monahan and flipped one under the crossbar to cap the late comeback.
“I felt pretty good again today, but they just scored a minute-anda-half to the end, so it's hard to say something,” said the 28-year-old Rittich, now 1-3-1 on the season but certainly trending upward. “I'm going to be OK tomorrow. It's just I'm not feeling very awesome right now.”
Without `Big Save Dave' living up to his nickname, overtime would not have been required.
Nearing the midway point of the second period, while sliding the opposite direction, Rittich managed to flash his right pad to rob John Tavares from point-blank range.
He stood his ground to stop
Ilya Mikheyev's one-timer on a short-handed rush, then slammed the five-hole shut to thwart Auston Matthews — the NHL'S goal-scoring leader — on a breakaway.
Early in the third, Travis Dermott leaned into a slapper, but Rittich was able to get a piece of that blast with his shoulder. Soon after, Mitch Marner and Alexander Barabanov were also left shaking their heads.
“When we needed the big stop, he was able to make it,” said Flames coach Geoff Ward. “He gave us a chance to win both hockey games. It's disappointing for him, the way tonight ended, because he has played so well. But he battled through both games.”
OFF THE GLASS
In case you're playing Trivial Pursuit, Alec Connell of the original Ottawa Senators was the last goaltender to deliver back-to-back shutouts against the Maple Leafs. The Hockey Hall of Fame inductee achieved that feat in 1930 … How close were the Flames to finishing off a two-game sweep? Maybe a few inches. With the net empty, Elias Lindholm couldn't corral a pass from Tkachuk, and after chasing the puck toward the corner, banked an awkward-angle shot off the side of the vacant cage … The Maple Leafs boast the NHL'S topranked power play, but the Flames killed off 11 straight penalties in Toronto. Impressive … The crew from Calgary will continue their travels with Thursday's matchup against the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre (5 p.m. MT, Sportsnet West), the first of nine meetings this season between siblings Matthew and Brady Tkachuk … Ward says he's hopeful Markstrom will be back sooner rather than later. If Markstrom isn't available for the opener in Ottawa, Ward will weigh whether to ride Rittich in a back-to-back scenario or tap Artyom Zagidulin for his NHL debut.