After losing three in a row, the Toronto Maple Leafs turned their fortunes around last night with a decisive 3-1 win against the Minnesota Wild. Here’s our recap of last night’s game.

Auston Matthews erodes the Wild defence as the Leafs win

And here’s the crazy Matthews goal one more time.

Saturday’s Leafs game will be on Hockey Night in Canada, which is back on CBC now that the Olympics are over, however, for whatever reason, the game will have an unusual 7:30 start time.

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Sam Bennett delivered one of the biggest hits in recent memory last night.

Igor Shesterkin’s Race for Hart Trophy Begins Now - Blueshirt Banter
History isn’t on Shesterkin’s side when it comes to winning the Hart Trophy, and that’s because it is mainly a skater’s award. The last goalie to win the Hart was Carey Price in 2014, and before that was Jose Theodore, also of the Montreal Canadiens, in 2002.

Mike Smith’s Gotta Go - The Copper & Blue
Mike Smith’s goaltending is costing the Oilers wins right now. It has to be handled, pronto.

McGregor named captain of Canada’s Para hockey team for upcoming Paralympics | The Star
McGregor, who grew up 400 metres from his neighbourhood rink, was a top triple-A player and heading into his Ontario Hockey League draft year when he was diagnosed with cancer. His leg was amputated the same day of the OHL draft.

Creative goalie Emile Francis introduced the trapper glove to the NHL - The Globe and Mail
"No one said anything about it until my first NHL game with the Chicago Black Hawks. We’re about to start when King Clancy, who’s refereeing the game, is called over to the bench by Jack Adams, Detroit’s coach. Adams says something, points at me, and Clancy skates over to my net. “‘Let me see that glove,’ Clancy says. He looks over my trapper and tells me, ‘It’s illegal. You can’t use it.’ “‘Well, then,’ I say, ‘you don’t have a game because this is the only glove I’ve got!’ I had him there."

Happy Friday everyone. We eagerly await the inevitable surprise 6:00 p.m. news from Kyle Dubas!

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