After overcoming a 3-1 third-period deficit in Winnipeg to secure a "character win", the Maple Leafs return home with five points and a renewed sense of optimism fueled by their captain's resurgent play.
WINNIPEG — With a four-game road trip that saw them cross three different time zones in the span of a week, you couldn’t fault the Toronto Maple Leafs had they fallen flat. And while it looked like that was going to be the case while trailing 3-1 in the third period at Canada Life Centre, they eventually forced overtime before defeating Winnipeg 4-3.
“We stuck with it, a good character win,” Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said. “Obviously a great way to finish the road trip. It was a tough trip, but I liked our road trip overall”.
The Leafs finished 2-1-1 to come away with five points out of a possible eight. Certainly, the highlight was a 4-3 overtime win against the NHL-best Colorado Avalanche on Jan. 12 to kick off the trip earlier in the week. There was a 6-1 letdown the very next night against the Utah Mammoth.
However, the emotions of the trip were high, including their first meeting against former teammate Mitch Marner in Las Vegas on Thursday. With the result still fresh in his mind following Saturday’s win, Berube lamented how close they were to another victory. “We're seven seconds away from getting six (points on the trip),” Berube said. “So extremely good trip for the group”.
There was a lot to like about the Leafs' ability to carve out a win on Saturday. Down 2-0 early, the captain stopped the bleeding. Auston Matthews scored with a wrister in the slot that resembled the player at his peak. Matthews, Bobby McMann, and Max Domi have established real chemistry on the top line; all three factored into the scoring on Saturday.
Every point comes at a premium. Despite entering the night two points out of a playoff spot, the win wasn’t enough to reclaim a position since the teams above them—the Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres—also picked up points on Saturday. But Toronto is taking care of its own business, and the biggest reason for optimism is coming from the captain’s level of play.
“It's big. It's big for the confidence,” Matthews said of the trip. “It's just nice to collect these points, get on the good side of it, and be able to go back home feeling good about ourselves. We're right back to work on Monday”.
The Leafs begin a five-game homestand on Monday when they host the Minnesota Wild. The series of games will be highly charged, featuring contests against the Detroit Red Wings, Marner’s Golden Knights, the Avalanche, and the Sabres before the team heads back on the road.