Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe comments on the performances of a number of his players following thrilling 4-3 win in New Jersey
Last night's game against the New Jersey Devils was a good rehearsal or warmup for what a playoff game will look like this year for the Leafs. Games will tighten up a lot in the postseason and the Leafs will have to find a way to win closer games and even play from behind at times. That is precisely what the Leafs did last night against the Devils and Sheldon Keefe couldn't be any more pleased with his team's efforts.
With the Maple Leafs trailing 3-2 midway through the third period after goals by Ondrej Palat and Erik Haula in a span of 3 minutes and 2 seconds, the Leafs were not only able to tie the game late - Michael Bunting's tying goal came with 4:50 remaining - but they also scored the go-ahead goal with less than 3 minutes left courtesy of Auston Matthews.
On the win itself, Keefe was quoted as saying:
"Gutsy. Just love how our guys stayed with it... some clutch plays at key times. The first period didn't go great for us. I don't think it was as bad as the shot clock maybe said but I like how we came out and really took over the game in the second period. It was kind of back and forth through the third. The fact that our guys stuck with it with some key plays - some clutch plays at key times - was really great. A great way to finish this trip."
Keefe also touched on Sam Lafferty's performance:
"Huge goal for us in the second period. I thought Lafferty really came alive in the second period. He really started to skate through the neutral zone with the puck. That really got them on their heels a few times. Obviously, a great play on the goal, and a good play by Will and Jarny to get to the net. That is an important goal for us. I think we really saw signs of what Lafferty is capable of in terms of putting the other team on their heels with his speed. He has done that at different times in earlier games with us but more off the puck.... Certainly he was good, and he was good on faceoffs too, as a right handed shot...but certainly for him and the matchups he had to go against, I thought he was really good."
On Bunting's goal and if that could give him the confidence boost he so requires, Keefe had this to say:
"You hope he feels go about it, of course, and that it could help take some of the pressure off and help him relax....I had a sense - or a feel, at least - that we needed a goal and this might change the line to put him there. We were going to go with just three lines the rest of the way. We wants Bunts to be involved in that.... Two key, great plays for us at an important time to finish the trip."
On Ilya Samsonov's performance:
"I thought he was really good. There were a couple of really tough shots early in the game that he came up big on. Certainly, Jersey was carrying the play through the first period there. We were able to tighten up defensively to the point that we kept it to the outside with perimeter shots and shots from distance at the top... I liked this game. I am still not quite sure how the third one ended up getting in. I know he wasn't expecting a tip like that. It is a solid game from him."
All in all, the Leafs probably experienced a better fate than they may have deserved, especially with how one-sided the first period was, but credit where credit is due, Samsonov played well and kept them in in until they got their legs going and found their game. You love to see it if you're a member of Leafs Nation and you hope they can come up clutch when it matters in the playoffs as well.
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