The Toronto Maple Leafs' third-period comeback win over the Anaheim Ducks had fans wondering where this type of performance had been all season long.
Before the contest began, the Maple Leafs players were dealt the news of the firing of their general manager, Brad Treliving. This was an emotional game right from the beginning of the contest. Leading up to puck drop, everyone knew this was going to be an emotional night. To set the scene, Radko Gudas, on March 12th, laid a dirty knee-on-knee hit that ended Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews' season. With the response being very minimal on March 12th, and the amount of backlash the Maple Leafs received, you knew this game was circled on their calendars.
Action packed game from the beginning
Just three seconds into the game, Max Domi dropped the gloves with Radko Gudas. Heading into this game, Radko Gudas was not planning on playing. He was out in prior games due to a lower-body injury he suffered after returning from his five-game suspension. This fight was extremely lopsided as Gudas virtually accepted what was going to happen and took the punches from Domi. This continued throughout the night as the Maple Leafs targeted various Ducks players, and it was a physical fight the entirety of the game. For Maple Leafs fans watching this game, you truly wonder why it took them so long to play this style of hockey and understand the need to step up for one another. You can pose the question of whether they did this because of the backlash received or if they truly cared about their captain.
For the majority of the night, the Anaheim Ducks were the far better team; they got out to an early 2-0 lead, and later a 3-1 lead heading into the third period. Matthew Knies said postgame, "We were inspired tonight, for sure," and that showed in the third period, as it was one of the best periods of the season. From the very beginning of the period, they were much faster and more desperate. Knies cut the lead to one after a perfectly placed shot that beat Ville Husso over the shoulder. William Nylander later opted to shoot in the same spot to tie the game at 3's on a breakaway. With Leo Carlsson tying the game late after Morgan Rielly gave the Maple Leafs the lead, they didn't panic like we've seen multiple times this season. A back-and-forth overtime saw John Tavares win it for the Maple Leafs with five seconds remaining in the extra frame.
The game many fans have wanted
This was an effort from the Maple Leafs we haven't seen in the Auston Matthews era. From the start, many knew this game meant more to them. Despite going down multiple times throughout the game, they stayed with it and didn't quit. This is what Maple Leafs fans have been waiting for all season long.