Analysts discuss Marner's retaliatory slash and how the team has responded since Liljegren's injury
Yesterday, we saw the Leafs hold on for a thrilling 4-3 overtime victory agains the Minnesota Wild to wrap up their time in Sweden for the NHL's Global Series. During the second period of the game, Mitch Marner and Wild forward Joel Eriksson Ek were going at it in front of the Wild net before Eriksson Ek forced Marner to the ice and essentially sat on him. Marner got up and delivered a good whack to the back of Eriksson Ek's knee. Marner was given a minor for slashing on the play, but the Leafs were able to kill it off.
Following the game on Sportsnet The Fan590's "Leafs Talk" JD Bunkis and Sam McKee discussed the retaliatory slash from Marner.
McKee then went on a tangent about how the Leafs have responded to the team meeting they had following the lack of response to Brad Marchand injuring Timothy Liljegren.
Liljegren has been out of the Leafs lineup since his injury in the November 2nd game against the Boston Bruins, and the Leafs had not really shown much backbone since up until that time. However, in the games since Ryan Reaves was made a healthy scratch against the Vancouver Canucks, the Leafs have shown more of a gang mentality in defending themselves and each other and it is something that will, hopefully, continue to carry forward.
The Leafs have struggled to defend themselves and their teammates over the years, but with the additions of players like Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi, who drag their teammates into the fight, so to speak, the Leafs have showed much more resolve in dealing with post-whistle scrums and incidents throughout games.
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 20 | 244 ANSWERS Analysts discuss Marner's retaliatory slash and how the team has responded since Liljegren's injury Do you think having Reaves in the lineup hindered the Leafs from defending themselves and each other? | ||
| Yes, they were waiting for him to do it | 144 | 59 % |
| No, they could have done this at any time | 100 | 41 % |
| List of polls | ||
