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Noah Gregor, Maple Leafs saviour. Weird but true.
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The fourth-line winger scored the shootout winner against the Florida Panthers in a 2-1 victory at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday after he scored the only Toronto goal in regulation.
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Joseph Woll continued to take a firmer grip on the Leafs’ No. 1 job, making 31 saves.
“Outstanding, just so solid,” Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said. “His play through the final segment of the first period (when the Leafs sagged) keeps us around in the game.”
In the shootout, the Panthers’ Nick Cousins hit the post after Gregor scored, ensuring the Leafs’ win. Cousins was the 12th shooter.
Florida thought it won when the 10th shooter, Evan Rodrigues, beat Woll. But a review, initiated by the NHL, showed Rodrigues double-tapped the puck and the goal did not count.
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Gregor was in the tunnel heading back to the room when Morgan Rielly called out and said it was being reviewed.
“I’ve never seen that before,” said Gregor, who added it was his first shootout goal in the NHL. “It’s a crazy end to the game. When we got back from the tunnel, Keefer told me I was going. I think everyone thought the game was over.”
In starting a three-game home stand, the Leafs won after losing two in a row.
A scare went into the Leafs when Mitch Marner took a Matthew Tkachuk shot to the face in the first period and dropped to the ice. Marner got up and went directly to the Leafs’ dressing room. Marner came back to start the second period, wearing a minor-hockey style cage to protect his face.
“Seems fine, other than a pretty good gash on his cheek, on his jawline,” Keefe said.
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The Leafs had a good opportunity to win in regulation when Jonah Gadjovich combed Gregor’s face with his stick and was assessed a double minor for high-sticking at 16:56 of the third. But Toronto could not get its power play organized, and the second minor became moot when the Leafs were called for too many men at 19:54, their NHL-leading eighth bench minor.
The Leafs are 0-for-11 in their past three games on the power play.
Some takeaways:
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GREGOR A FORCE
Much was made going into the game about the line changes Keefe made — swapping Marner, who played with John Tavares, and William Nylander, who skated with Auston Matthews — but it was Gregor who scored a highlight-reel goal to tie the game 1-1 in the second period.
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Gregor, who has sneaky speed, flashed down the left side and went high on Panthers goalie Anthony Stolarz at 12:54. It was Gregor’s third goal.
“Huge,” Keefe said. “I really liked his game. Tried to give him a bit extra here and there. It was great to see him come through for the guys.”
Nylander hit the post twice in the second period and drew a couple of penalties. When the Leafs needed their best players to put them in control, however, none could get it done. These tight games against division rivals are the kind where the elite are paid to make a difference. On Tuesday, that did not happen for Toronto.
FIVE GUYS
The Leafs had to play with five defencemen after Mark Giordano was hurt in the first period.
As the second period was starting, the Leafs announced that Giordano would not return because of an upper-body injury.
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Already without Timothy Liljegren (ankle) and John Klingberg (hip), the Leafs can’t afford to lose Giordano for a lengthy period of time.
“I haven’t got the final report, but it looks like he is going to miss time,” Keefe said.
If there was pressure on GM Brad Treliving to make a trade for a defenceman, that only increases. The Leafs have been getting by with a shorthanded group on the blue line as it is.
William Lagesson and Simon Benoit were signed for depth roles, not to play every night. The Toronto Marlies aren’t exactly brimming with prospects on defence, though Max Lajoie probably would be in line to get the call if required.
Still, the Leafs can’t expect to be competitive with several defencemen who would not be playing under normal circumstances. The feeling has been that Treliving has to acquire a top-notch defenceman. Now, getting one who could take reps in the bottom four would be a benefit.
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START, SCHMART
The Leafs were looking forward to playing their first home game since Nov. 11, when they beat the Vancouver Canucks.
From the way they started, the Leafs played like they wanted to be anywhere else but in their relatively quiet home building.
A goal by Florida’s Kevin Stenlund came after Ryan Lomberg sent Nylander flying in the corner in the Leafs’ end in a battle for the puck. The Leafs didn’t recover and watched as Stenlund beat Woll.
Keep in mind the Panthers played the night before in Ottawa, where they defeated the Senators 5-0. The first was especially ugly for a number of Leafs, especially Matthews and Rielly.
At five-on-five, the Panthers had 20 shot attempts when Rielly was on the ice, and none against. With Matthews on the ice, it was 15 for, none against.
Rielly rebounded as the game progressed and made several fine defensive plays in the third period.
X: @koshtorontosun
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https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMifWh0dHBzOi8vdG9yb250b3N1bi5jb20vc3BvcnRzL2hvY2tleS9uaGwvdG9yb250by1tYXBsZS1sZWFmcy9ncmVnb3ItYW4tdW5saWtlbHktaGVyby1hcy1tYXBsZS1sZWFmcy1iZWF0LXBhbnRoZXJzLWluLXNob290b3V00gEA?oc=5
2023-11-29 05:18:35Z
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