Toronto Maple Leafs Attempt the Rarest Feat Ever

The Toronto Maple Leafs received some very good news today, and they’ll use it to attempt the rarest of all rare feats.

Auston Matthews will suit up as the Toronto Maple Leafs will take on the Edmonton Oilers in game three of their current three-game series.  So will Freddie Andersen, and William Nylander.

The Leafs, of course, won the first two games of this series by posting two straight shut-outs.

First, it was Jack Campbell, freshly back from injury, albeit, it turns out, only briefly.  Campbell returned from a multi-week absence to shut-out the Oilers, not to mention finishing his second straight game fighting off an injury.  He is said to have reaggravated what kept him out of the lineup originally and will be out for a while again.

Then, on Monday is was Michael Hutchinson earning his full redemption after a terrible season last year.  His shut-out was made it six straight periods where the Toronto Maple Leafs didn’t allow the league’s top scoring duo to score any goals.

Toronto Maple Leafs vs Edmonton Oilers

Tonight the Leafs get back Matthews, which is great, but William Nylander, who didn’t practice yesterday, will also go for the Leafs.  And that isn’t all the great news either.

Interestingly, the Leafs will start their third straight different goalie in a three game series when the injured Freddie Andersen returns to the crease. Andersen hasn’t played since he beat the Montreal Canadiens almost two weeks ago.

First Hutchinson lost to Calgary in a shut-out, then he beat them.  Then Campbell beat Edmonton, then Hutchinson won his third straight.   All told, the Leafs won three out of four while their starting goalie was injured.

Not too shabby.

Now, since a starting goalie who gets a shutout almost always plays the next game, I doubt there are very many instances of two goalies on the same team posting back-to-back shut-outs.  I doubt that three different goalies have ever done it.  It would be the rarest of all possible achievements.

That would be the craziest thing, but it’s fun to think about. I don’t want to get too greedy though, I’ll settle for just the win!  A win tonight would put the Toronto Maple Leafs a full ten points up on the Oilers, with a game in hand to boot.

The Leafs are currently seven points up on the second place Winnipeg Jets.  The Canadiens have dropped all the way to fourth after an improbable 3-7 run.  They still have three points and two games on the fifth place Flames, so they should be fine.  They are a much better team than they’ve shown recently.

Prediction for tonight: William Nylander hattrick.  Leafs win 6-4.