First Period

Ilya Samsonov makes his first save at five minutes in. The Hurricanes have been concentrating on disrupting the Leafs offence, effectively, so far.

As per usual with the Hurricanes and Leafs, there are no whistles, the game roars past, and if you aren't careful, you've forgotten to score.

Samsonov with a couple of big saves as the Leafs are allowing a little too much pressure.

Jesper Fast takes a penalty and the Leafs go to the power play.

Timothy Liljegren immediately loses the puck at the blueline, but the Leafs recover fast. William Nylander gives the puck up, and the Canes do nothing with it.

And that's that, John Tavares takes a penalty and we're done with this truly terrible power play and worse PK from Carolina.

Conner Dewar with the only chance for either team, and it comes with the Hurricanes on the power play. Defensive indifference from Evgeny Kuznetsov there.

That was a contest for who had the stupidest players on the ice, and I'm not sure which team won. Trash all over the place.

Tavares almost immediately draws a penalty from Jordan Staal, so the Leafs power play gets another chance.

Nick Robertson with the best chance on what was a much better effort overall. But even that was a shot hooked way wide.

Dewar takes a penalty. This game started out free-flowing but that was then.

Okay, everyone's stick is greased with bacon fat. It's the only explanation for the flubbed shots, failed passes and just general bad play from both teams.

Thankfully that period is over. Let's forget it ever happened.

Thoughts

Neither team looked very good, but Carolina had the puck more while Toronto did all their shooting on the power play.

Second Period

The second period starts like a contest between two teams whose standings position is set.

Oh, hey, green is us! JT opens the scoring after some of the best Leafs puck movement of the game. (Preceded by some Samsonov heroics, of course.)

1-0 Leafs

Oh, even better. Nylander puts it up top right while I was thinking about how good he and Max Domi have been this period.

2-0 Leafs

Nylander ties his career high in points set last season.

Leafs to the box again. Actually playing five-on-five was too good to last. More holding.

Nylander with a shorty chance, and he is not Mitch Marner at this task. Not even close.

Bobby McMann with a breakaway, and his is better. No goal, though.

Now 34 tries it, and he's okay, just okay.

Something has happened to the Canes power play and it's not pretty.

LOL JT gets a break, goes deep, and NRob comes too!

3-0 Leafs

Jordan Martinook gets one back

3-1 Leafs

Samsonov never really handles a point shot while standing.

Jake McCabe goes off for tripping because the other guy fell down.

Booooo. Canes finally get a functional segment of power play and get a goal with a second left in the second period.

3-2 Leafs

Thoughts

So, do you remember way back last year when the Leafs were much more dominant at xG%? Their biggest weakness, as they worked their butts off to maintain o-zone possession, was rush chances against. Interesting, no?

In totally unrelated news, Nylander and Domi look great in this game.

Third Period

Joel Edmundson and Liljegren make a save in the first few seconds. Samsonov is not in control in this game.

Breakaway! David "sick hands" Kämpf get the two goal lead back.

4-2 Leafs

This southern cooking is excellent. Mmmmm turnovers.

Martinook goes off for high sticking giving the Leafs a chance to showcase this weird Liljegren as the D, Rielly as an F power play.

This one is better, but some chances were left on the ice. And then Samsonov has to make a big, big save shorthanded.

Carolina certainly getting some chances, but a team effort is keeping them out.

Carolina pull the goalie with 3:30 to go.

Leafs take a penalty so on the one hand, it's six-on-four. On the other hand, the Leafs can ice it.

And the puck finds the back of the net. David Kämpf with the game-winning goal because David Kämpf took a very ill-timed penalty.

4-3 Leafs

Brent Burns looses the shot, and it's tipped in.

Tie Game

Thoughts

So, Sebastian Aho. Not a bad player.

Overtime

Nylander with a break, but no!

Kuznetsov comes back, but also no!

This isn't OT, it's a shootout.

Domi can't do it.

Matthews can't do it, but he does get the Leafs a power play.

Leafs win the first faceoff and get some chances, but lose the second. They get the puck back quickly, though. Four forward PP for this second portion.

Domi and Nylander both fan on shots, and the Canes are helping their goalie enough.

I don't know why David Kämpf is playing in OT, but Morgan Rielly gets two great shots while he's there.

Shootout

We always knew it was headed here.

Kuznetsov with some goofy business where he goes really slow. Whatever, guy.

Jake Guentzel wins it in the coinflip.

Next game is Tuesday in Philadelphia again, followed by a Wednesday game in Washington. Tomorrow afternoon is PWHL Toronto vs Montréal in Pittsburgh, so see you then!

Game Coverage