The Toronto Maple Leafs had this one in hand - until they didn’t.
Toronto carried a 4-2 lead into the third period on Thursday night against the Buffalo Sabres, only to watch the night unravel and end in a 5-4 overtime loss. The final result left the Maple Leafs with more questions than answers, even with a few bright moments mixed in.
One of the biggest talking points came from Gavin McKenna’s usage. He played only 6:36, and his final shift came midway through the second period. After the game, head coach Jim Hiller addressed the decision, and the explanation only deepened the intrigue.
“You know what? That was my decision.
We went for a stretch. I think we had those penalties.
I wanted to get him out there. He sat through the penalties, and then I didn’t get him out there.
You know, through that stretch, and then in the last few minutes of the period, we’re just trying to, you know, get out of the period. I guess you would say.
And then now, as I’ve sat him for so long, and he sits in the intermission, so I probably should have got him out there early in the third. I didn’t.
So I’ll talk to him about that.”
The other major concern came with John Tavares, who left in the third period after a collision in the Maple Leafs’ zone. The play involved Josh Norris, and Tavares went down awkwardly, staying on the ice in obvious discomfort before a trainer helped him off and back to the dressing room. Hiller did not have an update on Tavares after the game.
The one true offensive highlight belonged to Kirill Marchenko. He scored his first hat trick as a Maple Leaf and even added a slick between-the-legs goal. It was a sharp response after a quiet start to his Toronto tenure; Marchenko had one goal in his first seven games after signing a six-year extension worth an average annual value of $12.5 million US.
After the morning skate, Marchenko said he could “play better for sure.” A few hours later, he backed it up with a big night at the right time.
Toronto got some production, but the points disappeared anyway. By the end of the night, Marchenko’s goals were the bright spot, while McKenna’s reduced ice time and Tavares’ injury left the Maple Leafs heading into their next game with plenty to sort out.
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For a team trying to settle in early, the uncertainty around Dahlin looms largest because Buffalo has leaned so heavily on its top defenseman when healthy. The encouraging part is that Ruffs update suggested some progress across the board, but the Sabres are still waiting for those returns to translate into actual lineup stability, especially with the blue line and crease both in flux. [Read more 🡒]