With a primary assist in Thursday’s Game 6, Matthew Knies continues to come through in the clutch.
With a primary assist in Thursday’s Game 6, Matthew Knies continues to come through in the clutch.
With a gaping hole to fill offensively due to the absences of William Nylander, Auston Matthews, and Bobby McMann scattered across the first six games of the Maple Leafs’ opening-round series against the Boston Bruins, the team needed something to give; or rather someone.
Insert Matthew Knies. It started in Game 3 when Knies opened the scoring on home ice in the second period against the Bruins. His momentum was carried over as a resurgence of energy for the Leafs in Boston as their season hung in the balance, delivering a heroic Game 5 overtime winner, ultimately saving the Maple Leafs’ season.
Matthew Knies has stepped up to the plate for the Leafs for the second straight postseason. Whether it's crucial defensive plays; backchecking, blocking shots, winning puck battles, and utilizing his size by being physical or contributing offensively through go-ahead goals, game-winning goals, and setting up the dagger to send your team to Game 7, Knies has seemingly done it all – and it hasn’t gone unnoticed.
“Kniesy I thought was really, really good for us,” praised Maple Leafs Head Coach Sheldon Keefe.
“He's been really good in this series and just getting better. I think for a guy with his skill set and his size, you know, when he gets confident and comfortable in this type of environment, it's a great thing.”
Logging a personal series-high 19:10 of total ice time in Game 6, Knies found the scoresheet with a pivotal primary assist in the final minutes of the third period to put the Leafs in front by two. Adding to his presence, Knies recorded two shots on goal with two hits and three blocked shots. In the game’s most intense moments, Knies made a strong play along the wall to set up a William Nylander game-winning goal – a strong representation attesting to the sport’s oldest saying of ‘taking a hit to make a play’.
“Knies has found another level. The confidence that he's shown, the play that he made to send Willy in tonight was just one of the great plays, strong plays he made along the wall,” said Keefe. “Sky's the limit, you know, for a guy like him, keep competing, he's a lot to handle out there and when he's playing like that, you can see how effective he is.”
When discussing what he saw on the opportunity to spring Nylander on a potential breakaway, Knies noted that his linemate was eagerly calling for the puck with a game-deciding chance on his stick.
“Yeah, I mean, he's [Nylander] yelling for it, he's calling for it. He's got a good opportunity there and all I had to do was put it on his stick and a pretty cool move that he made there. And yeah, it was a good play by him.”
The Leafs managed to hold on to an eventual 2-1 victory on home ice snapping a six-game losing drought on their own soil and pushing their opening-round series to a Game 7 at TD Garden on Saturday night. This time around, the Maple Leafs are looking to carry over the momentum from Game 5 and 6 to be on the winning-end of history this time around.
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