Toronto Maple Leafs Defeat Refs, Stars as Marner Makes History

There is only one word to describe the Toronto Maple Leafs right now: Amazing.

If there were four words, they might be “I told you so,” but then again, it is just December.  Regardless, the Toronto Maple Leafs are on fire.

They are coming off the best November in franchise history (which is saying a lot, just based on last November alone) and have only two losses in their last six weeks of play.

They are fourth overall, and climbing.

Keep in mind though, it’s still early: Minnesota, Colorado, New York, Edmonton and Calgary are ranked between 15 and 20th overall, with the Montreal Canadiens taking up real estate amongst them.

First place for the Toronto Maple Leafs, however, seems to be only a matter of time, and I’m basing that off of a) how they are performing while being the NHL’s most injured team, and b) the fact that every team in front of them is obviously worse than they are.  (stats naturalstattrick.com).

Toronto Maple Leafs vs Dallas Stars

The Leafs can beat anyone when their best players play their best games.

What you like to see about last night’s game is them winning when no one is playing well, when the referees are acting like scab replacements from another sport who have never worked a hockey game before, on the road, against an (*apparently*) top team.

Dallas had seven power-plays.

The Toronto Maple Leafs had two.

Now, if this was a well-called game and those were just the way the penalties went, so be it.  But the officiating was more or less a joke,

No surprise to say it, but the Leafs rank 24th in power play minutes per game.

They have a reputation as a non-physical team, which manifests in never getting the proper amount of calls in their favor.  It’s been going on for years.

Anyways, props go to the Leafs penalty killers and to specifically Matt Murray who was the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth star of the night.

Essentially, last night’s game earned him a half of a Vezina trophy, and the other 81 games of the season will decide the other half.

Mitch Marner kept his point streak going, and only he, Tavares, Timmins and Nick Robertson avoided getting destroyed by Dallas.

Robertson didn’t have a point, and only put up 2 shots, but he was excellent and one of the best players the Leafs had last night.  His brother might be the MVP candidate in the family, but for one night, at least, Nick was the best Robertson.

He is also, clearly, going to be a star.