Max Domi's Three-Points and Matthew Knies' First-Career Gordie Howe Hat-Trick Propel Maple Leafs over Penguins
Only five of the Maple Leafs' 18 skaters didn't register a point against the Penguins on Saturday night.
The Maple Leafs didn't have Auston Matthews or TJ Brodie on Saturday, but they played just fine against Kyle Dubas' Pittsburgh Penguins.
It was more than just fine, actually.
Toronto found the back of the net seven times against the Penguins. If you exclude the overtime period against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday, the Maple Leafs have 11 goals in the last four periods.
There were plenty of happy players scoring on Saturday, none more happy than Bobby McMann, who scored his first NHL goal in his 17th game.
This was a massive goal for the 27-year-old. He's been snakebitten since last season, where he had scored on Jan. 10 against the Detroit Red Wings, but it was called back because it was kicked in.
I remember watching a Toronto Marlies practice a few years back alongside the team's play-by-play commentator, Todd Crocker. After the Marlies' practice ended, McMann remained on the ice for a while, and that's when I knew he could be a player for the Maple Leafs in the future.
His work ethic was second to none then, and it's great to see him get rewarded with his first in the NHL on Saturday against the Penguins.
Another player who had a first on Saturday is Matthew Knies.
Knies was everywhere during the first period for Toronto. Early in the frame, he found the back of the net on a nice move that beat Tristan Jarry. It was some great work by Knies to protect the puck from Ryan Graves before going in on Jarry.
Three minutes later, Max Domi, who assisted on Knies' goal, took a stick to the face from John Ludvig. Knies didn't like it, so he challenged Ludvig, and the two fought. That was the 21-year-old's first career fight in the NHL.
Knies, not even five minutes into the game, was just one assist away from a Gordie Howe hat-trick.
He would reach the feat in the second period, assisting on a goal from Domi, which was a hell of a play all around. Martin Jones found Mitch Marner, who made a between-the-legs pass to Knies, who then found Domi.
Knies' Gordie Howe hat-trick was the first for the Maple Leafs since Daniel Winnik had one vs. the Winnipeg Jets on Feb. 21, 2015. Morgan Rielly appeared in that game, too, meaning he's been in the lineup for Toronto's last two Gordie Howe hat-tricks.
The assist on Knies' goal was Domi's third point in the game. The 28-year-old was moved up to the second line with Matthews out sick, and Domi seemed to take advantage of that.
He played
Amid the action, Marner, too, had a goal in the first period. Nick Robertson found the 26-year-old behind the Penguins defense, and Marner made no mistake, beating Jarry over the shoulder.
Marner now has eight goals in as many games. He also has six assists in that span for 14 points in eight games. The 26-year-old went cold before and after the Maple Leafs' trip to Sweden, where he had three assists.
Though now, Marner has had a point in seven of his last eight games.
Another player with points in seven of their last eight games is John Tavares, who scored a power-play goal during the second period against Pittsburgh.
Tavares now has nine points in his last seven games, including his 1,000th, which he scored against his former team, the New York Islanders, on Monday.
Among the goalscorers was also Noah Gregor. He scored Toronto's second power play goal, the 25-year-old's fifth goal of the season.
It was a great pass by Tyler Bertuzzi after he evaded Sidney Crosby. That was Bertuzzi's second assist of the evening and first point in his last nine games.
He would have another assist on William Nylander's goal in the third period, capping the night off with three points. Nylander, on the other hand, had two points against the Penguins, but his goal was his 15th of the year and his 40th point.
This was a great pass by Bertuzzi to Nylander. He baited Jarry into thinking he was going to shoot before finding Nylander, who just had to tap the puck into the net.
While you could argue that several players could be up for the Maple Leafs' MVP on Saturday, there was no player sharper than Martin Jones.
The 33-year-old signed with Toronto in the summer so he could have this very chance (getting games because of injuries) while playing on a very strong team. Jones stopped all 38 shots from the Penguins, securing his first shutout with Toronto.
The Maple Leafs will have Sunday off before practicing on Monday. They'll then play the New York Rangers on Tuesday. The biggest question going into that game: Who'll be the starting netminder?
Ilya Samsonov struggled against the Blue Jackets in the first two periods before battling back in the third. But Jones had a very strong game against a better team in the Penguins.
It'll be fascinating to see who Keefe goes with on Tuesday.
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