Maple Leafs defeat Avalanche to extend their winning streak to seven games.
The Toronto Maple Leafs entered this contest on a six-game winning streak and had defeated each of their previous six opponents handily. In the previous seven games, they had not let up more than three goals. With all of their injuries, the Colorado Avalanche took on the role of the true test in their final matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights.
This was the road trip game that observers, media, and probably the team’s top brass had selected as the best litmus test for the Maple Leafs. They have been playing so well lately, and they proved it last night against the Avalanche. Well, they didn’t let us down. The Maple Leafs put in a lot of effort to catch up after falling behind.
Only a few weeks prior, Tyler Bertuzzi appeared disoriented; he lacked self-assurance and, regrettably, was unable to purchase an objective. Auston Matthews helped him score last Saturday in the blowout game against the Anaheim Ducks, and it appeared to boost his confidence. One week later, on his birthday, he wears the Maple Leafs on his back. He has been electric since being paired with linemates William Nylander and Max Domi, which has greatly boosted his confidence.
Bertuzzi was barely hanging on for his shift because of a huge shot block and a broken stick. He headed straight for the room after returning to the bench, but he was able to come back later. Along with his two goals, the team tied the game after the Avalanche had taken an early two-goal lead. As the final game of a lengthy road trip that included three games over the course of four nights, it could have been a game in which the Maple Leafs were thoroughly outclassed.
But Bertuzzi persevered and kept his team competitive, which may serve as a taste of things to come come playoff time. On a late third-period power play, he managed to finish off the birthday hat-trick, giving the Maple Leafs the victory. In addition, Bertuzzi makes team history as the first Maple Leaf to record a hat trick on his birthday.
After defeating the Avalanche, the Maple Leafs have won seven straight games, but which seven teams were those? On February 13, they defeated the St. Louis Blues 4-1 to begin their winning streak. They later defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 in overtime (OT) and defeated the Anaheim Ducks 9-2 in a blowout. Following the Ducks’ 4-2 victory over the Blues, they had consecutive victories over
It should be mentioned that the Maple Leafs did recover from a 2-0 deficit early on. They regrouped and fought valiantly instead of giving up or rolling over and giving up. Historically, these types of games have typically resulted in blowouts or ones where the team gave up by the middle of the second quarter.
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On the other hand, we witnessed a resilient team last night, which may have a long-term impact on the team moving forward. With two games left in the month against the teams they faced on the road trip—the Coyotes and Golden Knights—the Maple Leafs have improved to 8-2 in February.
They didn’t play their best game of the season overall, and it was likely their worst of the road trip, but they made all the little adjustments last night to rally and find a way to win. In terms of record, this is the ideal road trip, but more importantly, in terms of play, the team has improved since ‘s suspension. It’s possible that supporters will remember this as the season’s most crucial road trip—the one that made their playoff appearance possible.
