Five takeaways from Maple Leafs key home victory over Kings

Michael Augello

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Five takeaways from Maple Leafs key home victory over Kings image

It was a battle between clubs with contrasting styles, the highest scoring team in the NHL and the squad with the best goal differential and goals against.

In the end, the goaltending of Frederik Andersen and the playmaking of Mitch Marner proved to be the difference as the Toronto Maple Leafs bested the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 at Air Canada Centre on Monday night.

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The Leafs move to 7-2-0 (one point behind the league-leading Tampa Bay Lightning), rebounding from their worst effort of the campaign, a 6-3 loss to Ottawa on Saturday.

Here are five takeaways from the Leafs victory over the Kings.

Polak returns 

Defenseman Roman Polak made his return to the Toronto lineup after agreeing to a one-year, $1.1 million contract on Sunday. The 31-year-old saw the least amount of ice time of any Leafs blueliner (12:13), but was a presence in his own zone, playing with rookie Andreas Borgman and contributing at the other end of the ice, with an assist on Matt Martin’s first goal of the season less than six minutes into the first period.

“It was interesting, Roman was back tonight and Borgman had his best game. That goes together, having someone to talk to and help you out.” Leafs head coach Mike Babcock said after the game. “Obviously (Polak) hasn’t played, so it’s going to take him a little bit here (to get up to speed).”   

Matt Martin making his presence felt

The Leafs fourth line of Martin, Marner and Dominic Moore were a bright spot on the night. In spite of playing a team-low 6:23, Martin caused havoc in front of Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick that resulted in his first goal of the season and a tally from Marner that was waived off for goaltender interference.

The big forward also made his presence known physically, tussling with Andy Andreoff after Nic Dowd had wiped out Moore with a check along the boards and dropping the gloves with Kings defenseman Christian Folin, after he tackled a stickless Marner.   

“I think letting (Martin) be himself, everyone is scared when that guy is coming full speed on you on the forecheck.” Marner said of his linemate. “We talked about it before the game, to just go out and be the animal he is in deep and it worked out.”

Marner shakes out of his slump

After missing a golden opportunity to tie the game in Ottawa on Saturday, Marner appeared more confident and composed against the Kings, setting up Tyler Bozak for a second period power play goal and showing patience on a disallowed third period goal.

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“I thought (Marner) was really good. I thought he had real good jump and (his line) were a real factor for us.” Babcock said. “I thought he had the best jump of anybody in the first (and) I didn't think we were great in the first.”

Concussion conundrum

Jonathan Quick collided with Toronto’s Zach Hyman in the first period on a scoring chance and the Kings goalie was seen holding his head after the play. A few minutes later, the NHL’s concussion protocol kicked in and Quick was told he had to go to the bench for evaluation, but there appeared to be confusion on the part of the officials.

“We were notified through the headset from the league spotter that (Quick) had to come out and the league office looked at the play when he got bumped into and deemed it worthy of a mandatory evaluation.” Kings coach John Stevens said after the game. “As we were getting Darcy (Kuemper) ready to go into the net, (the league) said they reviewed it a second time and that he doesn’t have to come out.”  

Kuemper played the final 36 seconds of the first period and Quick returned to the net at the start of the second.

Andersen outduels Quick

It was a solid performance for Frederik Andersen, who made 36 saves for his sixth victory of the season. The goaltender kept the Leafs in the lead with big stops on Tanner Pearson and Adrian Kempe in the second period prior to Bozak extending the lead to 2-0 and made a key stop on Tyler Toffoli after Patrick Marleau had extended the lead to 3-1.

Quick was disturbed constantly by Leafs forwards Martin, Zach Hyman and Leo Komarov, which appeared to throw the two-time Stanley Cup winner off his game.

Trailing 3-2 late in the third, Quick took an ill-advised roughing call on Komarov that all but ended any chance of a late Los Angeles rally to tie the game.   

 

Michael Augello