Toronto Maple Leafs: The Absolute Best Game In NHL History

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings played the best game of hockey I have ever witnessed on Saturday Night.

The Toronto Maple Leafs won 10-7 in the most entertaining hockey game of all time.

Sure, some games have lots of goals, but most games with this many goals don’t have any drama.

The Leafs put on a show for two periods and were winning 7-2.  This means it’s time to turn on the stereo and barely pay attention to the rest of the game.

While the sounds of “Loner” by Dehd were serenading us, a funny thing happened: Detroit was making the game uncomfortably close.  They scored again. I shut off the music. What was a blowout is now a dramatic, edge-of-your-seat-thrill-ride, something I don’t usually experience without my boy Keanu at my side.

What. A. Game.

Toronto Maple Leafs Craziest Game Ever

The Leafs won 7-2 and then Detroit scored four times in five minutes.  I saw – and mocked – a lot of negativity after the game, but come on, every single NHL team stops playing hard when they enter the third period with a five goal lead.

Nothing that happened in the third matters, except that maybe when things got tense, the Leafs just casually (and very awesomely) scored three more goals. (stats naturalstattrick.com).

I haven’t ever seen anything so ice-cold and nerves-of-steel-awesome in my 30 + years on this earth.  “Oh is time to score another few goals? Hang on two seconds while we turn it back on.”

This team is unreal. I love them. I don’t have one bad thing to say about Saturday night.  Detroit’s scored seven times (5v5) on 16 total scoring chances.  Four of which I am reasonably sure came after their last goal.  Seven goals on 12 scoring chances is something none of us have ever seen and never will see again, which means it isn’t something the Leafs should worry about.

It was a random, weird, and crazy event. It was an anomaly, and the only reason anyone ever cares is because of some collapses that different versions of this team had in the past.  Leafs fans are just really self-conscience, basically.

But what a game.

Mitch Marner had six points, including four goals and a natural hattrick.

Rasmus Sandin led all Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman in ice-time (5v5) and even though all of Detroit’s goals came during 5v5 play, none were scored with Sandin on the ice.  Paired with newcomer Ilya Lyubushkin, with Sandin on the ice, the Leafs had a 59% Corsi, outscored Detroit 2-0, while getting 60% expected-goals, and 60% of the scoring chances.

The Leafs as a team finished the game with a 58% Corsi, 56% of the shots, 72% of the scoring chances, and 72% of the Dangerous Chances and 63% Expected-Goals.  Those are numbers that usually indicate that you absolutely destroyed your second-class opponent.

Other than the goaltending, this was a nearly perfect game from the Leafs. And, while I’m not sure how to even look it up, I suspect that the 16 combined 5v5 goals in one game might be an NHL record. The only goal that came on special teams was a short-handed goal.

This team is awesome. What a game. I am nearly speechless (by 800 words, more or less, anyways).  If anyone has even one negative thing to say about this game, give it up my friend. Ask yourself when the last time you actually had fun was.   You’re talking things far too seriously. This game was a massive win for the Leafs and I’ve never been more comfortable declaring them the best team in the NHL.

The way they just casually scored three goals when the game got close is the most Fonzie-like thing I’ve ever seen a hockey team do.  I can’t believe they did it without wearing leather.  If “Country Mac” was a hockey team, it would be the Toronto Maple Leafs, because they are that cool.  Ice cold blood runs in their bad-ass veins, and after last night, I don’t think anything can stop them.

Oh and P.S – it is now officially illegal to complain about Mitch Marner’s correctly valued contract.