Takeaways from Maple Leafs demolishing Canadiens in big preseason win

The Toronto Maple Leafs demolished the Montreal Canadiens 7-2 in a preseason matchup that impressed.

The Leafs got two goals apiece from fourth liners Scott Laughton and Steven Lorentz. Bobby McMann, Matt Benning, and Ryan Tverberg got into the action. Meanwhile, Dennis Hildeby stopped 11 of 13 shots on the night.

So, here’s a look at the three main takeaways from the Toronto Maple Leafs' 7-2 annihilation of the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night.

Hildeby good, not great

Dennis Hildeby was under the microscope in Thursday night’s game amid the unexpected departure of Joseph Woll midway through training camp. Woll’s unknown leave of absence places greater scrutiny on Hildeby, who’s likely to back up Anthony Stolarz once the season begins.

Overall, Hildeby was fine. The Leafs played a solid defensive game in front of him. The two Montreal goals came on the power play. In particular, Patrik Laine’s rocket in the second period was unstoppable. Although Habs’ rookie Ivan Demidov deserves a ton of credit for undressing the Maple Leafs’ penalty killers.

Beyond that, the Leafs locked the game down and shut down the Habs’ lineup. Granted, Montreal didn’t have most of its regulars, but neither did the Leafs.

The only point of concern was the loss of Marshall Rifai early in the game. He played a total of 4:51 minutes before exiting with what is suspected to be an upper-body injury. More information will be forthcoming later.

Lorentz, Laughton have big night

One of the most encouraging signs on the night was the three-point effort from Steven Lorentz and the four-point effort from Scott Laughton. The Leafs’ fourth liners took full advantage of their shot to prove their consummate NHLers.

While the Maple Leafs won’t be expecting consistent three-and four-point nights from Lorentz or Laughton, it’s encouraging to see them dominate in a preseason game against an AHL lineup.

It was also encouraging to see Matt Benning register a goal and an assist on the night. He’s an extremely long shot to make the team. But it’s great to see him step up, as depth is a crucial factor for a contending team like the Maple Leafs.

David Kampf played solid game

Much-maligned David Kampf had a solid game. He wore one of three As for the team while playing in virtually every situation. He was on the ice for 15:23 minutes across 22 shifts. He saw some power play time and plenty of 5-on-5 action.

He wasn’t a dominant force on the scoresheet, as he failed to register a shot on goal. Nevertheless, he looked calm and confident despite the seeming lack of confidence in him. It seemed as though Craig Berube was willing to give Kampf every opportunity to show he still belongs on the team.

Kampf could be a late camp cut, especially if he keeps playing this way. Otherwise, the Maple Leafs will have to find a place for him in the lineup if he can continue to display versatility.

The Maple Leafs will face the Canadiens once more at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday night. After that, the next time the two teams meet will be on Opening Night in Montreal.