Marner plays the hero as Toronto Maple Leafs win thrilling OT game vs. Canadiens

Toronto Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner played the role of the hero he scored the game-winner in a thrilling 1-0 overtime win over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night at Scotiabank Arena.

Marner got his 26th of the season 36 seconds into the extra frame, lifting the Leafs to their 49th win of the season and a four-point lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers atop the Atlantic Division.

Here’s a look at the goal:

Marner was technically playing defense on that shift as the Leafs deployed three forwards on that play. William Nylander and John Tavares were on the two forwards with Marner on D.

Overall, the Leafs faced a stellar Habs team that did not want to disappoint after losing to the Ottawa Senators on Friday night.

With the win, the Leafs move one step closer to locking up first place in the Atlantic Division. The Leafs can lock up first place with a win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday coupled with a loss by the Tampa Bay Lightning in their game against the Buffalo Sabres.

Overall, the Toronto Maple Leafs played a solid game against a team hungry to win. It remains to be seen if the team will rest any of its starters after this weekend’s back-to-back set as the Leafs take on the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday and the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday.

Mitch Marner enjoys it “back there” while playing defense for Toronto Maple Leafs

After Saturday night’s win, Mitch Marner opened up about his role in playing defense, particularly during the overtime sequence in which he scored the game-winning goal.

In his media availability, Marner started that he liked "it back there,” referencing his role in playing defense.

Marner is no stranger to the blue line. He has been tapped to play D in the past amid shortages of capable blueliners. Marner added that he doesn’t “feel lost” while feeling “comfortable” on defense.

Those comments underscore the ease with which the Leafs’ game-winner unfolded against the Canadiens. Moreover, having Marner as a capable defender adds another dimension to the Leafs' attack moving forward.

Check out Marner’s comments from the one-minute mark onwards:

While Marner likely won’t play defense this upcoming postseason, knowing he can do that gives coach Craig Berube an interesting alternative moving forward.

Marner’s overtime marker was his 98th point of the season. With three games remaining on the Leafs’ schedule, Marner has a great chance to top 100 points for the first time in his career. If he does, he’ll join Darryl Sittler, Doug Gilmour, and Auston Matthews as the only other Toronto Maple Leafs players with 100-point campaigns.