Toronto Maple Leafs: Garrett Sparks Lives Up To the Billing

The Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Buffalo Sabres in deciding fashion last night.

Often, in hockey, the score is not representative of the game that was the played. For the Toronto Maple Leafs, that was the case last night. The final score might have only been 4-2 with an empty net (by who else, Zach Hyman) but the Leafs were an absolutely dominant team last night.

If they could play like this consistently they’d be the team to beat.  Add in Jake Gardiner and Travis Dermott (two players whose importance can’t be overstated for a team forced to rely on Ron Hainsey and Nikita Zaitsev to play absurd amounts of minutes) and you have the makings of a team whose potential is off the charts.

All in all, it was a clinic until late in the third where the Leafs stopped playing.  Still, they did enough before that to warrant an enthusiastic game review.

Garrett Sparks

Sure, there were some insane things that we could quibble about – things like the crazy amount of ice time Ron Hainsey got – but hey, for this game at least, he was solid – or Auston Matthews getting only about five minutes of ice time in the first period.  (stats naturalstattrick.com)

But what does that get us? Mike Babcock is going to do wacky things and never have to answer for them.  That’s just the way she goes.

The bottom line is that for two and a half periods, the Leafs played at a level that indicates just how good they can potentially be.  They really should have scored about eight goal last night.

The reason they didn’t was because Carter Hutton had an incredible game.  Only twice this year – once against Tampa and once against the Rangers – did the Toronto Maple Leafs face such a hot goalie.

If not for a lucky bounce of Matthews’ skate, who knows how this game might have turned out? Funny Matthews should score like that on a night when he had one of his best games ever.  He was all over the ice, stealing the puck from the Sabres at will, and producing a ton of scoring chances.  He personally had nine shots.

But what I liked the most about last night was Garrett Sparks.  Nothing he could do about that Alex Nylander goal, and so even though he wasn’t tested much, he made saves when necessary.  Games that are so lopsided can be difficult on the goalie who isn’t getting many shots, and Sparks came through in what was perhaps the most important game of his career.

Overall, the Leafs played great, and it was an enjoyable game.  What else can you ask for?