'We're Starting To Find A Groove': Maple Leafs' Power Play Success A Positive Entering Final Stretch Of Regular Season

Toronto scored four of their five goals against San Jose on Thursday with an extra man on the ice.

Despite falling to the league-worst San Jose Sharks in the shootout on Thursday night, the Toronto Maple Leafs' power play is clicking, which is a positive sign.

Toronto was two-for-four against the Sharks, with William Nylander and Auston Matthews getting on the board during the man advantage. And although San Jose got on the board with a shorthanded tally, it doesn't defeat the fact that the Maple Leafs have had one of the best power plays since the new year.

"I think we're starting to find a good groove of just being very direct, good puck support, winning a lot of battles and earning second and third opportunities," said John Tavares, who had a goal and an assist, both during the man advantage.

Since Jan. 1, the Maple Leafs' power play has operated at 34.5 percent, only behind the Vegas Golden Knights (35.9) for the top spot in the NHL. It's a positive perspective for Toronto after starting the first month of the season with one of the league's worst power plays.

The Maple Leafs are moving the puck, finding open space, and shooting it at the net, allowing them to find success. Toronto has had the best power play in the league since the beginning of March, scoring on 43.8 percent of their opportunities (14-for-32).

Nylander (4) and Matthews (5) make up nearly two-thirds of the Maple Leafs' power play goals in March. Tavares has scored three. Matthew Knies and Calle Jarnkrok each have one.

Matthews's 28th goal of the season, a power play marker, was a testament to why Toronto should fire everything they can at the net. He found the loose puck behind Alexandar Georgiev and easily slotted it into the goal.

During the dying moments of regulation, both Tavares and Nylander put a puck into the back of the net to force overtime. Those two tallies also came with Joseph Woll pulled and an extra player on the ice.

"I think we're moving the puck pretty well, not forcing too much at times, and just finding different ways to score, especially in times that we kind of need a goal," Matthews said following the loss.

"So it's (the power play) been good. I think both units have been pretty solid, just stepping up when you need goals and momentum and stuff like that."

It's been a bumpy stretch for the Maple Leafs, but they have picked up nine out of a possible 12 points in their last six games. Toronto's power play during that period: 61.5 percent.

You'd want to win every game you can, of course. However, with the power play clicking with 10 games left in the regular season, it could be a positive to look at entering the playoffs.

"I think it's been better and better as it's gone along here. It hasn't gone in. Tonight it did, which is encouraging," Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said.

Toronto's power play operated at 15.2 percent in the final 11 games of the regular season last year before plummeting to 4.8 percent in their seven-game series against the Boston Bruins.

Let's see if it'll be the same this year or if the Maple Leafs can keep their hot power play going into the postseason.

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