Maple Game Notes from 4-2 Win Vs. Flames: Tavares, Marner & Nylander

In this post, I’ll share some of the Toronto Maple Leafs notes from their 4-2 victory over the Calgary Flames on Sunday night as the team heads into the second game of a back-to-back series against the same Flames tonight.

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Game Note #1: John Tavares Scores a Goal to Reach 30 Points on the Season

John Tavares reached the 30-point plateau on the season when he scored a goal and an assist in last night’s 4-2 win over Calgary. The new line of Alex Galchenyuk, Tavares, and William Nylander had a strong game on the scoresheet by collecting five points.

Tavares assisted when Galchenyuk scored to make the game’s score 2-2, after the Flames went ahead by the end of the first period. He then was credited with a goal on a fortunate deflection in the third period for the game-winner. On the season, that gives Tavares 11 goals and 19 assists (for 30 points). The Maple Leafs’ second-line center also carries a plus-13 rating in 38 games.

Game Note #2: William Nylander Adds Two Assists in Win

William Nylander scored two assists in Sunday’s victory when he helped both his line partners score. He helped set up Galchenyuk’s first goal in the Blue and White and also assisted on Tavares’ game-winning goal in the third period. The 24-year-old Nylander now has recorded 28 points in 38 games, but he only has four points in his last eight games. Interestingly, he’s had two multiple-point games and six games where he’s been shutout on the scoresheet.

Game Note #3: Jake Muzzin: Registers helper

Jake Muzzin is playing steady hockey – so steady that sometimes he’s not mentioned in game reviews. That’s likely because the 32-year-old defenseman plays the role of a shutdown, physical player more than a scoring threat. That said, like Nylander, he also assisted on Tavares game-winner in the third period. On the season Muzzin has 16 points and is a plus-13 in 36 games.

Game Note #4: Mitch Marner Adds an Assist

Mitch Marner registered an assist in Sunday’s game to move his point total on the season to 47, which keeps him in fourth place in the NHL’s point-scoring lead after the Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid (with 64 points) and Leon Draisaitl (with 56 points) and the Chicago Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane (with 49 points).

Marner, who’s been playing great hockey with his line partner Matthews, set up Matthews’ goal during the third period. The 23-year-old Marner is playing steady hockey and has scored in 10 of his last 12 games (with three goals and 10 assists).

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Game Note #5: Morgan Rielly Starts the Game Off with a Bang

The Maple Leafs couldn’t have started the game better than having Morgan Rielly take a pass from Matthews and scoring when the Flames failed to clear the zone less than a minute into the game. What’s interesting to me is that Rielly has exactly the same number of points this season in 38 games (four goals and 23 assists) as he did last season in 47 games (three goals and 24 assists). He’s playing a much more aggressive offensive game this season than last, it seems to my eyes.