Marner extends streak with fourth win in Maple Leafs cap trip

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DETROIT — Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keef knows Mitch Marner feels it.

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And by “it” I mean good, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, whatever words apply.

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That’s all the more certainly true for Marner, who is trying to tie the long-held Leafs record.

Marner scored in his 17th straight game at Little Caesars Arena on Monday night, scoring in the second period and helping the Leafs defeat the Detroit Red Wings 4-2.

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“When you become an elite player, you get into a rhythm and you feel like every shift makes a difference,” Keef said after skating in the morning. “He feels it. Whether he’s with the puck or not, he’s feeling it on defense.

“Some of his best plays come out of his reading, creating turnovers and creating the best chances for us. And it seems.”

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The Leafs have won all four games on this trip, won all six of their road games in November, and have won 10 of their last 14 more broadly.

Importantly, goaltender Matt Murray was on point for the Leafs. Denied the Wings for the majority of the chances whenever there was a bump. a bit.

Murray finished with a season-high 41 saves after conceding an Adam Arne goal in the third inning. Detroit won four in a row.

If Marner scores a point against the San Jose Sharks at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday, he has 18 with at least one point, tying the franchise record for most consecutive games. It came after Darryl Sittler set the record in 1977-78.

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In 11 games with the Sharks, Marner has 3 goals and 10 assists.

Marner’s goal in the 52nd second of the second period was thanks to a feed from Marc Giordano. With the Leafs skating the puck on the ice, Marner could be heard calling for a pass from the press box. As the cunning Leaf got the puck, he moved to his forehand and beat goalkeeper Ville Husso with a shot that should have been stopped.

To be honest, the Leafs didn’t produce a consistent offense throughout the game, but took advantage of Husso’s weak performance.

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Detroit’s netminers were pulled after Rasmus Sandin scored with a floater at 8:37 in the second, putting Toronto up 4-1. The Leafs scored his four goals on 13 shots, giving his coach Derek Lalonde of the Wings enough evidence to send his backup Alex Nederikovic into the net.

Several Leafs reached milestones in the first period after the Wings led 1–0.

Orston Matthews unleashed a shot that has haunted goalies since he broke into the NHL, giving Toronto a 2–1 advantage at 8:24. Matthews received a pass from Michael his bunting and Fusso caught him shooting through the slot in his glove. Play began at the end of Toronto when Mac Hollowell skated around the net and tipped the puck into Bunting in his fourth NHL game. It was Hollowell’s first points in the NHL.

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Less than a minute later during a Toronto powerplay, William Nylander popped the puck into the open net following Sandin’s shot from the point.

Captain Jon Tavares also provided an assist at 9:15 to mark his 300th point for the Leafs. Tavares became the 40th player in franchise history to record his 300 points for the club.

The Leafs got stuck in the defensive zone at times in the first game, but Detroit couldn’t capitalize on it after scoring their first goal at 4:45. The shot went through Murray and loose his puck was eventually poked across his line in the goal by Moritz Sider.

At 14-5-5, the Leafs have 33 points and are within three of the Boston Bruins, who lead the Atlantic Division with 36. Boston has three games against Toronto.

“We’re making sure we’re putting the puck in a good spot and we’re not making our lives harder than we need to be,” Keef said. Brody, Jake Mazin, Jordy Benn), so we need to have a really healthy team game.Forwards can support defense and help us in breakouts with or without pucks. So we have to take responsibility for how we play, we have to connect.

“It’s happening right now and our confidence is growing in a good place.”

tkoshan@postmedia.com

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