First Period

The first line is the second shift on the ice, and Matt Knies goes off for tripping in the offensive zone when he tried to step around a Canuck.

Ilya Samsonov with some sharp saves, and the Leafs can get back to five-on-five.

Dakota Joshua (remember him?) knocks down David Kämpf with a hard hit that leaves him bleeding in the face and with a red mark on his chin, but no, that's not a head hit, your face is not your head, everyone knows that.

The oldest man in hockey goes and fights him.

The Leafs get an extra two for instigation, and Giordano gets a misconduct as well as the five for fighting.

And guess what happens next!

1-0 Vancouver

Samsonov never sees it.

There's about one minute of play and Vancouver takes a extremely stupid cross-checking penalty because Tyler Myers can't defend a zone entry.

The Canucks can, in fact, defend the Leafs power play pretty slick... at least until the second unit comes out.

Everyone gets a whack at it, but it's Knies' goal.

Tie Game

You can't credit Morgan Rielly on this one, he was, er, not very good on the zone entry.

Samsonov can't find the puck, and Nick Robertson spots it and takes off, Ian Cole just lays him out flat, so Max Domi fights him. Full marks for heart for Domi, but he was out of his weight class by a mile there.

And in a result that should not surprise anyone, Domi takes the instigator as well as the five and 10.

So here's what I think. The aggressive PK is neat. But when the play comes back, there's often enough chaos that this happens:

2-1 Vancouver

This is why I think you need more that just offensive skill to play that kind of PK. Marner has what it takes.

Samsonov with no post discipline is just the icing on the cake.

Thoughts

There's not enough five-on-five time to really tell, but what there was of it, the Canucks were bad. Maybe, Leafs, try more of that and less special teams.

Second Period

The Leafs, not listening to me, take a tripping call in the first minute, but everyone survives.

Demko stones Bertuzzi on a great play. Nylander, on the other hand, gets it through.

Tie Game (again)

And that's all for the five-on-five again, and Giordano takes a penalty because he was at the end of a shift and needed to get off the ice.

Leafs with a good solid PK ... er, or not. Leafs take a too many men penalty on the PK. Guys. Come on. (Yes the Leafs have more of these than any other team.)

David Kämpf, you beautiful loon, taking a shorty rush three-on-five.

Giordano comes back out, and the rest of the PK is mostly the Leafs with the puck.

The Canucks take the next penalty.

I actually liked Klingberg for 60% of his time on the ice which was most of the two minutes. But it's not like passing to Nylander is hard.

Oh wow. Gregor with a goal from a virtual saunter along the ice. No speed in evidence at all!

3-2 Leafs

That was a teammates got together and played hockey goal.

Lagesson takes something in the face, and a discussion ensues until they realize it's the puck.

Thoughts

There were only 22 more seconds of five-on-five in the second than in the first. Vancouver: actually play bad hockey, tonight is no different. Leafs: actually playing one of their best games.

Third Period

The Leafs open this period rolling through all four lines, which I wasn't sure was allowed.

Oh, nice! Matt Knies works this into the zone alone, and Domi and Järnkrok com up and work the puck to keep it alive until Nick Robertson comes off the bench and boom 4-2 Leafs.

Teammates playing hockey, scoring goals.

What's that? Another fourth line goal... huh.

5-4 Leafs

David Kämpf with his first of the year. (He's been excellent tonight.) Bobby McMann with two points.

Canucks push a little in the final minutes, but never pull the goalie, content with their record so far.

Thoughts

Typical Leafs, getting five goals the one night they don't need them.

Next game is Friday at 2 pm from Sweden!

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