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Four Takeaways from Maple Leafs 6-4 Win Over the Kraken

Last night the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Seattle Kraken by a score of 6-4. What were four takeaways from the game?

The Toronto Maple Leafs Core Four showed up last night to help pull the team from down a goal in the third period to a 6-4 win over the Seattle Kraken by the time the horn sounded to end the game. It was the usual suspects who carried the team to a win. And the most usual suspect was on fire.

Auston Matthews registered his third hat trick of the season. He now is pulling away from the other NHL leaders and has raised his total to 43 goals. At this moment, the Edmonton Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl and the New York Rangers’ Chris Kreider now have 38 goals.

But Matthews wasn’t alone. Linemate Mitch Marner scored the go-ahead goal halfway through the third period, and the other two Core Four members – William Nylander and John Tavares – each scored goals and added assists for the Maple Leafs. The team needed all the goals they got. First-line rookie winger Michael Bunting had two assists as well to rise his rookie scoring lead to 47 points.

Related: NHL Announcers Fooled By Fake Trade Between Leafs and Canadiens

Takeaway One: Auston Matthews Is On Fire

As noted above, Auston Matthews scored a hat trick in the win over the Kraken. He carried his team on his back to the win and seems to be taking charge of the game simply because he wills it. His first goal came early in the first period, and his last goal came with less than a minute left. In between, he took a great pass from Pierre Engvall and made a beautiful move for his second goal against Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer earlier in the third period.

Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs

The hat trick was Matthews sixth of his career. With his 43 goals he also has 75 points in 54 games. That jumps him into fourth place in NHL scoring. Leon Drasaitl has the NHL lead in that category with 79 points. Matthews is absolutely on fire and has scored seven points in his last three games. Is he stoppable?

Takeaway Two: Micheal Bunting Could Win the Calder Trophy

The rumor is out that Michael Bunting can’t win the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s best rookie because of his advanced age, his circuitous route and the long time he spent in hockey’s minor leagues, and the fact that he plays with Matthews and Marner on the Maple Leafs’ first line. Still, he’s making a case for consideration.

Two night’s ago, he recorded his 20th goal of the season in the Maple Leafs 5-4 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Then last night, he scored two assists to pump his rookie total to 47 points. Those two points against Seattle gave Bunting sole leadership in the rookie point-scoring race, which is four more points than the Detroit Red Wings’ Lucas Raymond.

Betting money sees Raymond as the odds-on favorite for the Calder. That said, Bunting also leads all rookies in goals and is two ahead of second-place Tanner Jeannot of the Nashville Predators.

Related: Three Takeaways from Maple Leafs 5-4 Win Over the Blue Jackets

Takeaway Three: Ondrej Kase Scored an Assist in Last Night’s Game

Ondrej Kase was removed from the injured reserve list and played last night. He only had an assist, but it was great that he was able to play. For fans of Kase, every injury makes them remember that the Czech native had such a tough two seasons prior to joining the Maple Leafs because of consussion symptoms. So for Kase, the fact that he’s able to play at all is a great sign.

Ondrej Kase Boston Bruins
Ondrej Kase when he was with the Boston Bruins

Kase was considered a game-time decision and he did get to play. Prior to being on the injured researve for four games, he had scored three goals and three assists in his previous eight games. He also spent time on the power play during those games, where he scored a couple of those goals.

Takeaway Four: Is This Team too Confident?

The Maple Leafs have this habit of getting ahead, losing the lead, then coming from behind to win. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. After the game, Marner was quoted as saying that the team never feels they’re “down and out.”

In fact, as Marner added, the level of the “belief in our team, belief in our locker room and on the bench … We just get over it and make sure we’re ready for the next shift or next opportunity.”

The confidence is good, but wouldn’t it seem better to get ahead and stay ahead? Who’s to say with this group?

Related: Maple Leafs’ Quick Hits: Considering the Quirky Issues with Goalies

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