499 from a New Year’s Eve win in Denver that came this close to capturing the essence of the Maple Leafs — the team they aspire to be. But Matthews didn’t take the shot right away, instead drifting backward a couple of feet, never taking his eyes off netminder Alexandar Georgiev. Forcing Georgiev, as Matthews explained it later, to “make a play he’s not comfortable with.”Hockey wits, you know? What the naked eye tells us right now is that the Leafs are a very good team and, barring significant injuries, will be an even better team at the cusp of playoff spring. A long, long hockey odyssey, with unpredictable ebbs and flows.

Source: thestar January 02, 2023 05:02 UTC