Rookie defenseman Timothy Liljegren shows that you don't need an enforcer on the ice to push back
It was a playoff-like atmosphere in Toronto on Sunday with the Florida Panthers in town to take on the Leafs in an Atlantic Division matchup that put the rest of the NHL on notice. The Toronto Maple Leafs are capable of beating anyone on any given night - including the top teams.
The Leafs took it to the Panthers on Sunday, playing a physical brand of hockey that we haven't seen an abundance of over the past few seasons. One thing that the Leafs showed in their 5-2 victory over the Panthers is that you don't necessarily have to be the ones doing the pushing.. as long as you are willing to push back.
Rookie defenseman Timothy Liljegren showed his willingness to do just that on Sunday, following a bit of a gathering in front of Leafs netminder Petr Mrazek, who was excellent in the win, picking up right where he left off on Thursday against the New Jersey Devils - this time, posting 34 saves on 36 shots.
During a scrum in front of Mrazek, Liljegren stood his ground against not one, but two Panthers players, including Sam Bennett - a noted grinder who loves to play physical.
This is the type of intensity Leafs fans have been clamoring for. You don't necessarily have to be the one to start it, but you can't shrink in those moments and bend a knee to the opposition.
Interestingly enough, what we saw with Liljegren jostling with two Panthers players was that it dragged Justin Holl, Jason Spezza and Ilya Mikheyev into the scrum as well, with each guy grabbing ahold of a Panther while Liljegren went after Bennett.
These plays are important come playoff time. Whether or not this one escalated is irrelevant, because in the postseason, these scrums will escalate, and what the Leafs had shown is that they're not going to back down when it does. That's going to be very important come May.
| POLL | ||
MARS 28 | 241 ANSWERS Rookie defenseman Timothy Liljegren shows that you don't need an enforcer on the ice to push back Will Timothy Liljegren be in the lineup with the playoffs begin? | ||
| Yes, he deserves it | 95 | 39.4 % |
| No, there's just no space with Muzzin coming back | 29 | 12 % |
| He'll be in and out | 91 | 37.8 % |
| Show me the results | 26 | 10.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
