LEAF TAKEAWAYS: Not everything was a fluke in hard-fought win

Article content

Article content

Article content

The previous time the Maple Leafs played Colorado, they couldn’t understand how victory eluded them.  

Article content

On Wednesday’s return match, they couldn’t believe their good-fortune goal that resulted in a 2-1 triumph. 

Our takeaways, unpacking an entertaining and somewhat enigmatic finish on Wednesday at Scotiabank Arena: 

ZEBRA CROSSING  

Steven Lorentz insisted he was looking to get off the ice before he wound up with the winning goal early in the third period. With the Leafs killing a penalty, Simon Benoit’s clearing attempt from deep in his own zone hit referee Kelly Sutherland, who was stationed on the other side of the centre-ice line and had inexplicably stumbled into the puck’s path along the boards, leaving it there for Lorentz, who walked in off the left wing and beat goalie Mackenzie Blackwood to the far corner.

Article content

Article content

“I saw the ref go down a bit, saw the puck get loose and thought I might as well re-route,” said Lorentz. “I’ll take that bounce. I’ve had a few go the other way this year. I thought I’d try a shot on net and the rest is history.”  

The irony of a fourth-line penalty-killer deciding a game in which the skilled skaters on both clubs dominated, and his goalie, Joseph Woll, made 38 saves, was not lost on Lorentz, who had some extra zest in his celebration. 

“It’s surreal for me every game,” the Waterloo native said. “I take pride pulling that jersey on every game. I talk to myself, scoring a goal like tonight, you think of being a little kid jumping into the glass.” 

Just before his goal, TV cameras caught Craig Berube smoldering on the Toronto bench at his club’s second too-many-men penalty in three games. But the coach said he was angrier with the officials, so maybe some kismet was at work there for the Leafs. 

Article content

WOLL SOCKET

Have the Leafs found their playoff goalie? 

Berube broke his rotation with Anthony Stolarz to use Woll in a second straight game, the latter’s third win in a row and five of his past six. Stolarz, meanwhile, has lost his past three, including his own back-to-back, though the entire team was culpable. A rested Stolarz will start Thursday in New York against the Rangers. 

“Definitely, he’s played excellent,” Berube said in praise of Woll, adding coyly: “We’ll figure all that (playoffs) out.” 

Lorentz was one of many Leafs giving Woll a hug after the game. There were a couple of big stops that resulted from the Avs turning up the forecheck heat, a crease scramble at the second-period horn when Mitch Marner lost his stick and Woll later getting a mitt on a Brock Nelson shot from the slot. 

Article content

Nathan MacKinnon was denied on six shots, a high for Colorado’s forwards, after he’s had a big night March 8 in the 7-4 home-ice win against Stolarz. Valeri Nichushkin had the lone goal Colorado goal on Wednesday on the power play.  

“He probably saw seven or eight minutes of their top six players in the last 10 minutes,” Lorentz noted of Woll facing the power play, extra shifts and 6-on-5 play with MacKinnon, Nichushkin, Cale Makar and Martin Necas. “He just stood on his head, kept pucks in front of him. We broke down a few times, couldn’t get it out and he backed us up.” 

Woll, who is in sight of 50 career wins this season, needing five more down the stretch, was outshot 6-0 to start the game. He has now faced Connor McDavid and MacKinnon this season for the first time.  

Article content

“I preach all the time, stick to my process,” he said. “It was a great team win. Those (opposition aces) are special players and have their reputations for a reason, but I’ll take the guys we have in this room 10 times. 

“It’s nice to play a lot. It’s easier when you’re in a groove, you’re not thinking as much.” 

STAR WARS 

Berube delighted the crowd by putting Matthews’ line against MacKinnon’s from the opening faceoff until the end. Matthews ended the night with eight shots, his last moving him past Borje Salming and into fourth on the franchise list since the stat was kept, with 2,488. 

Matthews and MacKinnon have dueled four times in a little more than a month, counting the two games in the 4 Nations Face-Off. 

“He’s always a tough guy to go up against, so much speed and power,” Matthews said. “Everything he does is 100 miles per hour. He’s too good of a player not to get his looks at times, so you have to be on the right side of him, check him hard.” 

Article content

Berube was pleased that Matthews, Marner and Matthew Knies went after MacKinnon, Necas and Artturi Lehkonen instead of vice-versa. 

“They played in the offensive zone to create opportunities, they worked and skated, along with (defencemen) Jake McCabe and Chris Tanev,” Berube said. “What we talked about was putting them on their heels.” 

Matthews was denied on a couple of great looks against Blackwood, then scored a power-play fluke off Devon Toews’ stick. 

HOME COOKING 

The Leafs were good on their word to reset at SBA. After losing to Florida and Ottawa to start the homestand, they defeated Calgary and Colorado, allowing three goals in all. 

They go on the road for a couple, once more tied with the Panthers for first in the Atlantic Division, though the Tampa Bay Lightning is just two points back. 

“It was a long stretch on the road, but that’s the way the schedule worked and no excuses,” Lorentz said. “It’s just nice to come home, play in front of your own crowd and sleep in your own bed. It’s the little things that go a long way.” 

Lhornby@postmedia.com 

X: @sunhornby  

Article content