The Toronto Maple Leafs had another strong game, downing the Utah Mammoth 5-3 on Wednesday night at Scotiabank Arena.
But beyond the evident success of the Leafs’ third-straight win, the contest had a special meaning for former Mammoth Matias Maccelli.
Prior to Wednesday night, Maccelli had been on the outside looking in. His less-than-stellar season has seen him slide up and down the Maple Leafs’ depth chart. But on Wednesday night, Craig Berube made a classy move by dressing Maccelli against his former club.
And Maccelli did not disappoint. The Maple Leafs winger rewarded the coach’s faith in him by scoring a goal, the game-winner no less, and adding an assist.
The magical night, something out of a movie script, offers an encouraging glimpse into the Maple Leafs’ path forward. The club seems to be finally gelling, with Maccelli among those players seemingly finding his footing.
Maccelli now has three goals and four assists for seven points in 13 games. But this game could very well be the confidence boost that Maccelli needs to deliver on the promise that came with him when he arrived via trade this summer.
Maple Leafs heating up as a team in November
It seems like the Maple Leafs have put their usual slow October in the rearview and turning up the heat in November. The Leafs are undefeated in the month, including the incredible comeback win against the Penguins on Monday night.
In addition to Maccelli’s tremendous outing, Auston Matthews looks to be heating up as well. The Maple Leafs captain scored again on Wednesday night, giving him goals in three straight games.
The one-timer blast against the Mammoth showed signs of the former 60-goal scorer. It may be too soon to declare another 50-plus goal season for Matthews. But if he can keep up this pace, Matthews could bust open the Rocket Richard race this season.
Yes, the Leafs had another good game. But there are plenty of areas to work on. Turnovers were an issue again. The Leafs got burned on several occasions. Fortunately, the damage was limited to two goals.
By the time the Mammoth got their third, the game was well in hand. The Maple Leafs will have a formidable challenge in the Boston Bruins on Saturday night. The Leafs-Bruins games are always tough matchups. But given the way things are going, the Maple Leafs are in a solid position to continue rising in the standings.