Reimer completes netminding hat trick

With the Montreal Canadiens coming to town, the Toronto Maple Leafs wanted to make a statement.

And with a 5-1 win, one that chased Habs goalie Carey Price by the midway point of the first period, the statement may well be: the Maple Leafs are ready for the playoffs.

“We still play them once more in the regular season,” said Leafs centre Nazem Kadri. “We understand what fate could bring. This is a potential first-round matchup. They understand the style we play.”

The Leafs scored four times on their first five shots, James Reimer made 36 saves and the top line of Tyler Bozak, Phil Kessel and James van Riemsdyk continued its hot run, combining for five points. Bozak scored, while Kessel had a goal and an assist.

“We wanted to set the tone,” said Bozak. “They embarrassed us in our own building the last time we played them. It was an important game for us. We’re trying to move up in the standings. They’re a team we’re trying to catch.

“We’re confident in our group in here. We go into every game thinking we have what it takes to win and if we play our game we can win. Our chances went in a little more than they have before, but I think we got better as the game went on.”

The Leafs picked up a point for the 12th time in 13 games (8-1-4) to solidify their hold on fifth place in the Eastern Conference.

“I think there’s room for improvement,” said Leafs coach Randy Carlyle. “I call it maturity. Maturity as a team, an understanding in hockey games that momentum can swing on one bounce, one power play, one turnover.”

PLAYOFF PREVIEW

If the idea for the Maple Leafs is to face the Montreal Canadiens in the playoffs, then they helped their own cause. The Leafs have beaten Montreal in three of four matchups with the season finale to come in two weeks. Montreal might want the matchup, too. The teams have met 15 times in the playoffs and the series winner has gone on to win the Stanley Cup every time.

THE QUICK START

Bozak opened the scoring at 1:59 of the first, completing a four-pass play he started. Leo Komarov then scored from the corner at 8:08, a yucky goal Price rarely ever gets caught on. Jay McClement scored on a nice backhander at 10:25. It was 4-1 after the first, 5-1 after the second.

“Sometimes when you get a lead, you have a tendency to back off and not play as diligently as you can,” said Reimer. “Tonight, I thought we did a pretty good job of sticking to our game plan. As dumb as it sounds, sometimes that’s the hardest game to play.”

GOALIE VS. GOALIE

Reimer had the better night, by far. While the Leafs had their way with Price and then, to a lesser extent,

Peter Budaj, the Canadiens fired everything they had at Reimer, who stopped 36 of 37 shots. The Leaf netminder beat Martin Brodeur, Henrik Lundqvist and Price in the same week and is 13-2-5 since Feb. 7.

“Price had a rough night,” Carlyle said. “He’s a world-class goaltender. You don’t get many of those evenings from him.”

KOMAROV VS. SUBBAN

Toronto’s Komarov is at his best when he’s getting in the face of an elite player. He was at his ratty best Saturday, relentless in his pursuit of PK Subban, the choice by some for the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenceman. The Leafs usually pound Andrei Markov — Saturday night was no exception — but Subban’s prowess has made him the primary target on the Montreal blue line.