Marner has averaged the second-most minutes of any forward (20:15) throughout the first two games of their series against the Bruins.
Marner has averaged the second-most minutes of any forward (20:15) throughout the first two games of their series against the Bruins.
Mitch Marner has zero points for the Maple Leafs in two games against the Boston Bruins during their first-round series.
For some, it matters. For others, it doesn't.
Plenty of criticism has been thrown at the 26-year-old's way throughout the last 24 hours. One play in particular — where Marner is approaching a loose puck against Charlie McAvoy, before dodging the defenseman to either, avoid the physicality or, cut off a pass out of the Bruins' zone — has angered some.
Mixing that with the fact that one of Toronto's most expensive forwards is pointless in this series creates the perfect potion for people to want more out of Marner. However, it's not like the forward hasn't done anything all series.
His line, which consists of John Tavares and Matthew Knies, has been put up against one of Boston's more difficult trios in Danton Heinen, Pavel Zacha, and one of the most dangerous goal scorers in the NHL, David Pastrnak.
Toronto's second line has only allowed one goal from that specific Bruins trio, and it came in a game which the Maple Leafs ended up winning.
"I think if you talk to anyone in this room, we just want to win. We want to win hockey games," Marner said on Wednesday about the he has in this series. "We want to do the best we can out there every time you touch the ice. That's where my mindset's at and that's what I'm trying to do every time I get out there."
As defensively strong as that line is for Toronto, though, there is a cause for concern about their offense. The Knies, Tavares, and Marner trio has a 12.14 xGF% at five-on-five, the lowest of any line on the Maple Leafs in Game 2, according to NaturalStatTrick.com.
And the only player who has a point on that line throughout the series is Tavares.
However, when Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe was posed the question about Marner's lack of offense in this series thus far, he took a bigger outlook approach, saying the forward is important defensively and could've already had a point.
"Well, if you asked me after Game 1, we lost, so, we need more goals. In Game 2, we had enough goals to win the hockey game and Mitch plays over 20 minutes and is an integral piece of the game for us. He's done a terrific job with the matchups," Keefe said on Monday.
"I mean, the points stuff, no, I don't get too worked up over that. I mean, if [Tyler Bertuzzi] lets the puck fall down another foot, and then puts it in the net, [Marner] has an assist. He makes the whole play happen. I don't get too caught up in that sort of stuff. We need to win hockey games. And, the other night, we had enough to win.
"Mitch, John, and Kniesy, those guys did a really good job. As series' go on, as playoffs go on, everybody gets their time, gets their moment. Mitch has come through for us offensively in so many ways in the past and found ways to produce, and he'll do it again."
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