Ilya Samsonov sarcastically thanks his defensemen post-game for allowing a trio of early breakaways in his first game back

The Leafs faced adversity early and looked somewhat sluggish to start the game, which certainly made things a tad complicated for goaltender Ilya Samsonov, who was playing in his first game back since injuring his knee on November 5th in a victory over the Boston Bruins.

Following the game, Samsonov touched on a trio of breakaways early on in the game that forced him to make some solid stops to keep the game 0-0 to avoid trailing in the early stages of the contest. While Samsonov was all smiles and laughter, as he typically is, he also tossed out a sarcastic "thank you" to his defensemen for allowing multiple high-danger chances right away.

It's all good and fun, and Sammy doesn't seem too bothered. The Leafs were no doubt exhausted, having just returned home from a 4-game road trip and having played 9 games in a little over a 2-week span. Even if they were tired, they did not make any excuses for the sloppy start after the win. In large, the miscues were all but forgotten after the win, thanks to Mitch Marner's record-tying performance, collecting a goal late to cap off an 18-game point streak. Instead of focusing on the inefficiencies, there was cause for celebration.

The Leafs now have a much-needed day off today before they get back on the horse tomorrow at practice in preparation of Saturday's game in Tampa.