Okay, maybe it wasn’t ALL thanks to Steve Sullivan. A three-point night for Auston Matthews and Max Domi certainly helps, but if nothing else, Sullivan deserves some credit for his part in a Leafs powerplay that finished above .500 in the chances they got for the first time in what feels like forever. The Leafs scored on two out of their three power play chances, one of which came in the first minute of the game. It was Sullivan’s first game on the bench since the Leafs hired him to replace previous power play coach Marc Savard, and though there needs to be more than a one-game sample size, it’s a good start by all means.
The goal-scorers of the night included Matthew Knies for two, Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Bobby McMann, Nick Robertson, and John Tavares (empty net). The type of game where you’re getting help from all around the lineup and picking each other up.
Overall, it felt like one of those games that was dictated by a ton of bottled up emotions between two teams that haven’t met since the playoffs of the previous season. There were lots of big hits, lots of scrums after the whistle, and some scheduled theatrics after the final buzzer. It was a standard high-octane game between two units that don’t like each other, which makes for some of the best hockey you can ask for.