Editor In Leaf
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Toronto Maple Leafs Get 1st Victory of the Year

By James Tanner

OTTAWA, ON - SEPTEMBER 18: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly (44) skates the puck around the net during second period National Hockey League preseason action between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators on September 18, 2017, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
OTTAWA, ON - SEPTEMBER 18: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly (44) skates the puck around the net during second period National Hockey League preseason action between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators on September 18, 2017, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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The Toronto Maple Leafs went 0-2 against the Senators to open the preseason.

Last night, the Toronto Maple Leafs grabbed their first win of the year, downing the Buffalo Sabres 3-0.  Morgan Rielliy scored the winner and everyone went home happy. (The only goal, really, as the other two were empty netters).   At least I assume everyone went home happy.  But then again, who really cares about the score of a pre-season game?  We want to know who played, how much and how well and what it all means.

If you’re a Leafs fan – and why else would you be here – last night’s game was really fun to watch. Auston Matthews looks every bit the deserving recipient of an absolute ton of hype.  Whether it was breaking out of the box and just missing the top corner, or stripping the puck at the blue-line to set (was it Dermott?) a teammate up for a scoring chance, he looked amazing.

Rielly and Matthews

I don’t want to go on and on, but the Leafs have never had a player like Matthews. He makes all the other players look just OK by comparison, and the game at times looks easy for him.  What stands out to me is that even if you gap out and forget to pay attention to who is on the ice after a change, or you come back into the room mid-play  you notice Matthews in about two seconds.

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Another great thing from the game was that opening Morgan Rielly goal. He’s not going to normally score on that play, but I like to see him using his speed to gain zone entry.  In the past I think Rielly has been a little too hesitant to carry the puck, despite his skating being the thing that separates him from most players.   Instead of dumping it in, or dropping the puck back, he seemed to catch the Sabres’ players by surprise when he just carried the puck in and took it to the net.

There are not stats available for this game, possibly due to it being played at a neutral site.   From what I saw, and the stats they threw out during the game, the Leafs were heavily out shooting and chancing the Sabres.

Next: The Last Defensive Opening

Then again, even though they lost to the Sens twice, I thought they were the better team both of those games. Sometimes the winning team isn’t the best team.  Last night, I think it was.

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