First Period

Early in the first David Kämpf and the fourth line got a whistle in the offensive zone. Craig Berube did not, as he often does not, put out a top line to take advantage of that.

Jake McCabe blocked a hard shot, and then only a few minutes later, Morgan Rielly had to walk this one off. He wasn't gone long.

John Tavares passed it through his legs to Mitch Marner for the second SOG and second goal.

Simon Benoit penalty after time number three Woll got knocked around in the crease. Joe Woll was very good on a tough PK.

Jeff Petry took a penalty right away that led into the final six minutes of the game which the Leafs spent almost entirely on the power play. Domi got off one very hot pass to Bobby McMann who could not get it by Cam Talbot.

With Petry out of the box, McCabe showed off his tooth sitting in his glove for a four-minute high-sticking call on Lucas Raymond.

Marner was gifted another standout pass, from William Nylander this time, and he wired that into the net.

After one it was 3-0 Toronto, so how they got there is not really all that important.

The Leafs made good use of almost six minutes of power play to even up the Corsi while Detroit had the puck more at five-on-five. A new-Leafs typical game so far.

Second Period

Detroit had the puck most of the time in the early going of the second. There were more hits that shots from anyone, however.

Cam Talbot gets his groove back just in time to stop Connor Dewar who has a pair of chances.

Benoit blocked a shot and was writhing after. Seemed like that pinged right off the cup. Ow. That kind of commitment is the centrepiece of the Leafs low event, low risk, defensively focused game in circumstances like a 3-0 lead. It's great to see them hold a lead by playing committed defence and also controlling the puck, as they did in the second half of the second. Even if it's a little light on scoring chances.

The trouble comes when they start a game that way against a team better than Detroit.

Max Domi with a great chance at a half-open net that went wide.

Mitch Marner snatched this game from the jaws of boredom with a hat trick. It's always fun to see hats in someone else's rink too.

Marner went to the net like he's John Tavares or something, and Max Pacioretty and Oliver Ekman-Larsson teamed up to get him the puck. I like this angle for the Pacioretty fan:

Nick Robertson! From a great pass again that crossed the centre line. That was fun too.

After two it was 5-0, and this period was a textbook example of how to hold a lead and also how to get your coach fired from the Red Wings both.

Leafs upped the quality of shots for by a great deal in that period, interestingly.

Third Period

Alex Lyon was in for the start of the third.

David Kämpf got things rolling by taking a penalty early. The Leafs killed it easily even with Matt Knies playing with a numb leg from blocking a shot.

Bobby McMann took a cross-checking penalty to give Detroit another chance.

Detroit with a fantastic power play, their best minute of play all game. Joe Woll had to scramble, and at one point drops the puck back out of his glove. Eventually Lucas Raymond got one past him.

Woll screened and the puck is deflected, but Detroit got the shot of after some good play. Simon Edvinsson makes it 5-2.

Final score was 5-1 Leafs. A win's a win, and a win coming off a break is always important, but the Red Wings looked like a team that wanted all coaches fired forever until the last 10 minutes of the game.

Joe Woll had to be good occasionally, and he was up for it. Otherwise, it really was the Mitch Marner show.

Next game is tomorrow at home to Washington, see you then.

Game Coverage