After playing like crap for the last little while, the Toronto Maple Leafs snapped out of it Thursday with one of their best games of the season in a victory against the New Jersey Devils.
The Toronto Maple Leafs may have been without John Tavares and Anthony Stolarz, but they got Jake McCabe back and apparently, that's what it takes.
Tonight, the Leafs will be hosted by the Montreal Canadiens, and, for the first time in years, it actually matters.
The Leafs and Canadiens did play a playoff series during the pandemic, but the less said about that abomination the better. This is the first time the two teams have met while they are both competitive, in the regular season, in a decade, at least.
Maple Leafs vs Habs: If You Aren't Excited for This, Why Are You a Hockey a Fan?
Instead of getting another top pick - which they probably should be after - the Canadiens decided they are sick of losing and have gone 8-1-1 in their last ten games.
Jakob Dobes, a 5th round pick in 2020, has come out of nowhere to win four games in a row while stopping 96% of all shots. Is he the next Carey Price, Jose Theordore or Patrick Roy? In the way that Bobby McMann is the next Doug Gilmour, sure he is, but it is still fun while it lasts.
The Canadiens currently have a higher points-percentage than the 8th wildcard team, and the exact same record as the Ottawa Senators. They might make the playoffs, and that would be awesome. Especially if the Leafs win the division.
But as for tonight, this going to be great. The Leafs lead the division, the Habs are up and coming, both teams are stacked with players you'd pay to watch (I for one an on the Lane Hutson hype-train) and if both of these teams are good at the same time, nothing in the NHL could be better.
Leafs vs Habs on Saturday night. What could be better?
The Leafs will likely go with Joseph Woll, and I really hope the Canadiens go with Dobes. Fraser MInten will most likely be back in the lineup, and Auston Matthew is on fire.
This is going to be the best game of the season. I'm predicting a 9-7 win with a Matthews hattrick and a line brawl! OK, that's wishful thinking, but it's gonna be fun.