Toronto Maple Leafs Get Closer to Avoiding Wild Card
The Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Ottawa Senators in overtime last night despite never leading during regulation.
For the Toronto Maple Leafs, who spotted the Sens two goals to start, it was just another interesting variation, in a season where, even they they are a fairly consistent group, they always tend to make it interesting.
Mark Giordano scored his second goal as a Leaf, in overtime, to secure the win. It was Giordano’s third point of the night.
Paired with Timothy Liljegren, Giordano played over 19 minutes of 5v5 hockey (21 overall) most of it completely dominant. He has 8 points in 13 games, while posting elite numbers since joining the Leafs.
Giordano, more than anything, brings presence. He may be 38, and Rielly may still get the most ice-time, but Giordano enters the game and its like Victor Hedman coming onto the ice – you know he’s out there, and you know the team is pretty much going to always win his minutes.
Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators
The win finished off the season series against Ottawa and the Toronto Maple Leafs went 3-1, their only loss coming in the first game of the season. (naturalstattrick.com).
The win moves the Leafs into 3rd overall in the NHL standings (by points percentage, since the teams who are ahead of them have played more games) and puts a bit of a gap between them and Boston/ Tampa.
The Leafs .693 points-percentage is good enough to win the President’s Trophy as the NHL’s best team in most years, let alone a division title.
The win vs Ottawa means that a win today vs the New York Islanders would give the Leafs 106 points, which would be their franchise record.
Despite the unbelievable, record setting season, the Leafs will still have to start the playoffs against one of the NHL’s best teams – most likely either Tampa or Boston.
The Leafs are eight points back of Florida, and the most points the Leafs can get are 118, meaning that any combination of six points gained by Florida or lost by Toronto will eliminate the Leafs from finishing first in the Atlantic.
The most points the Bruins can get are 111, meaning that any combination of seven points gained by the Leafs or lost by the Bruins will guarantee that Toronto will not be in the Wild Card. Magic Numbers aside, the Leafs have a seven point lead on Boston with seven games to go, so that should be safe.
Next. Top 11 Reasons Why This Year Is Different for the Leafs. dark
Today’s game is against the Islanders, and should see Jack Campbell back in net.