The Toronto Maple Leafs kicked off a home and home against the Winnipeg Jets* at home, in their reversible jerseys hoping to reverse the recent success of the Jets*.
The Maple Leafs were generous hosts to begin the game, allowing their guests to control the first ten minutes of play. It's also a kindness for Ilya Samsonov to go down 9-1 in shots in the first half of the first period. Not playing defence shows him just how much confidence they have in his play.
Who had one shot every five minutes for the Leafs? That's not great.
Adam Lowry and John Tavares got physical for their respective teams. First Lowry takes out Pontus Holmberg, and then John Tavares high-sticks Nate Schmidt on his shot follow through.
Mercifully, the first period ends. No score, Jets* lead in shots 14-4.
The intermission has woken the Leafs up a little bit, with more offense here than most of the first period.
The Leafs get the first power play of the game after Winnipeg forward Dominic Toninato is called for interference.
It wasn't the power play that got the fans giving standing ovations, but Ilya Samsonovs play. First he stopped a two on none:
Then he comes back with another amazing save:
After this penalty expires, Noah Gregor draws a high sticking call on Brendan Dillon, giving the Leafs another man advantage.
The Jets* are showing off why they're one of the top teams in the league, holding the Leafs power plays to a couple shots, and a few more chances. It's been hard to tell who is really the team with the advantage here.
Halfway through the game there haven't been many highlights or things to talk about, and the Jets* lead in shots 21-8.
A third penalty for the Leafs coming up, after Toninato goes to the box again, this time for holding.
This sums up the game pretty well so far.
No goal for the Leafs yet again - the Jets* penalty kill goes 3/3 - and we are left wondering what it will take to get these guys moving.
The second period ends without a score and the Jets* lead 21-15 in shots.
The third period opens with a bit more offensive rush from the Leafs, shots, chances, and speedy footwork, many things the other two periods were missing.
The Leafs get a fourth chance at the powerplay, when Brendan Dillon is called for head contact against Calle Järnkrok.
Nylander, Matthews, and Tavares teamed up for the closest chance to scoring the Leafs have had so far tonight, with a shot and rebounds galore, but Laurent Brossoit is there to make the saves. Four shots on the powerplay, but the Leafs are 0/4 tonight.
The defence is doing better, keeping the Jets* to four shots halfway through the third allowing the Leafs to come within one of their opponents - 25-24.
Without scoring, the Leafs are putting their 190 game streak of not being shut out at risk.
The Maple Leafs being able to draw powerplays is the most notable part of the game. William Nylander draws a tripping penalty on Dylan DeMelo. Will they go 0/5?
They do, as William Nylander is called for boarding, giving the Jets* 72 seconds of their own power play once the four on four expires.
The Leafs don't let the Jets* get a shot off, so neither power play is able to score in regulation for these teams.
With 35 seconds left, Mason Appleton draws a tripping call on Calle Järnkrok, and the Jets* get a power play for the rest of regulation and a good chunk of overtime.
Heck of a time to start with the make up calls.
The horn goes, and regulation is over. No score. Shots are 28 each.
Winnipeg starts overtime with 1:25 of a powerplay, four on three.
Ilya Samsonov is keeping the Leafs alive as the penalty kill clogs the middle of the zone, but the one timers get by them. With 33 seconds left in the power play, Winnipeg coach Rick Bowness calls a time out to rest his top line.
The power play ends, and we go to four on four briefly. Leafs fans are on their feet cheering Samsonov for making the saves when needed.
The Leafs board battle the Jets*, reset their play and attack the Winnipeg net which forces Brossoit to make the save and get the whistle. Back to three on three we go with 90 seconds remaining.
Matthews and Nick Robertson team up to recover a lost puck in the offensive zone, miss a shot but keep cycling the puck between them until Auston Matthews scores the game winning goal with less than one minute remaining to end the game and get the shutout for Ilya Samsonov.
The Maple Leafs come back from being greatly outplayed for half the game, Samsonov got the shutout he deserved, and Leafs fans left happy, after a somewhat boring, uneventful, yet frustrating game.
The Leafs now hop on the bus and head for Winnipeg, where they will play the Jets* again Saturday night at 7PM.
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