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Toronto Maple Leafs Need to Crush Lowly Canucks

By James Tanner

TORONTO, ON - FEBRUARY 29: Bo Horvat #53 of the Vancouver Canucks keeps an eye on Rasmus Sandin #38 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on February 29, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Canucks 4-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - FEBRUARY 29: Bo Horvat #53 of the Vancouver Canucks keeps an eye on Rasmus Sandin #38 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on February 29, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Canucks 4-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /
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The Toronto Maple Leafs have had a wonderful start to the 2021 NHL season, but it’s time to make good on their promise of success.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are in second place overall in the NHL, losing a point to the Habs while they were on a four day mini-break.  The Leafs have played 10 consecutive one-goal games, but somehow keep coming out on top.

This isn’t going to last, so the team is going to need John Tavares and Auston Matthews to start scoring some goals 5v5.  The two players should be above criticism because they are playing excellent and putting up solid numbers.  It’s really a matter of “when” they get going, and not “if,”

While that is true, and will remain true even if they struggle to score for another week or two, the Leafs need them now.  The Canadiens stacked their record by beating up on the Vancouver Canucks, taking nine out of ten points against them.  The Leafs need to do the same, as they will play Vancouver three times between tonight and Monday.

Toronto Maple Leafs vs Vancouver

The Leafs got some good news when it was revealed that Joe Thornton was back skating, and it will only be a couple of weeks until Nick Robertson is ready.   In the meantime, Alex Kerfoot is questionable for tonight’s game and Nic Petan has been called up.

The Leafs will be looking to actually have a good game tonight, independent of the result. Recently they played six games against the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames, and somehow picked up nine of twelve points, despite playing, at best, so-so.

There was no training camp, and the schedule to begin the year was difficult, but the Leafs are well rested and their is no excuse not to absolutely crush the Canucks tonight.

A three-game sweep will all but burry the Canucks, who would then be down nine points to the Leafs who would have three games in hand.  A potential 15 point chokehold just 13 games into a 56 game season would be absolutely crazy, but it’s not even really improbable at this point.

Vancouver is a bad team.  The Leafs are a borderline great team, and the ‘borderline’ part comes because they still aren’t consistent.  We saw vs the Jets what the Leafs can do when they’re on, and if they ever get to a point where they can do that at least somewhat often, they’ll be unstoppable.

Next. Best News Notes and Quotes from the Leafs for the Week. dark

Hopefully the Leafs realize what a 15 point gap could do for them and bring their best game three times in a row vs Vancouver.

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