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When Kyle Dubas slyly drafted Matthew Knies three years in the past within the second spherical, it probably wasn’t with any Gordie Howe hat methods in thoughts.
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The previous normal supervisor of the Maple Leafs would’ve most popular the U.S. collegian discover his interior imply streak towards some group aside from his new employers, the Pittsburgh Penguins and in Dubas’ first sport again in Toronto since being fired in Could.
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Coming off the flu and beginning on a revamped line with Mitch Marner and Max Domi after Auston Matthews was the newest Leaf sidelined by sickness, Knies helped the trio to a five-point sport as Toronto dominated 7-0 on Saturday evening at Scotiabank Enviornment. It was a season-high margin of victory as Toronto inched to inside 5 factors of division-leading Boston with a sport in hand.
The Howe hat trick – an old-school time period for a objective, help and battle in the identical sport – was beforehand registered by a Leafs rookie greater than 11 years in the past, when Matt Frattin did it towards the Buffalo Sabres.
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Domi, moved to Matthews’ centre spot, made a pleasant transfer to ship Knies away on the sport opening objective, turning Ryan Graves round earlier than sticking it below the bar. Then got here two good passes through Domi and Nick Robertson to Marner after a Pittsburgh impartial zone turnover. Domi completed with a objective and two assists.
The Leafs had lower than a minute on a 5-on-3 to try to construct that lead, but it surely didn’t come till later within the body when Bobby McMann buried a rebound from Tyler Bertuzzi, who chipped in with three assists. It was McMann’s long-awaited first NHL objective in his 17th sport after varied callups to fourth line responsibility since final 12 months. The puck was retrieved by the officers after an indignant Penguin fired it down the ice.
Knies added the battle to his evening after his objective, pursuing John Ludvig after the latter put a excessive stick right into a heavy shove of Domi into the boards. He got here out even within the fisticuffs.
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The pictures had been even by means of 40 minutes as Martin Jones picked up his third win in as many appearances in Toronto’s web — and first shutout — making 38 saves. On alert when the Leafs had been shedding pucks of their finish, which cursed Ilya Samsonov on Thursday towards Columbus, Jones additionally helped begin one other image play within the second.
He got here out to hit Marner with a stretch cross, which was relayed to Knies after which to Domi for his second objective of the 12 months. That clinched Knies changing into the primary Leaf of any classic to get a Howe hat trick since Daniel Winnik in 2015.
John Tavares and Noah Gregor added power-play objectives with Pens netminder Tristan Jarry exiting after 4 objectives on 14 pictures.
On condition that the Leafs had given up 5 to the Blue Jackets earlier than netting 5 themselves, it was most likely nice aid on the bench to see Gregor beat Alex Nedeljkovic with a tick or two left in an Evgeni Malkin minor to really put the sport out of attain.
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Knies wasn’t the one Leaf in a feisty temper, with defencemen Conor Timmins and Simon Benoit stepping into minor scraps that adopted scrums. ‘Natural toughness’ was one thing Dubas hoped would develop in Toronto after he was promoted to GM in 2018. He wound up having to import some yearly, however lack of success in post-season, outdoors of lastly successful a primary spherical collection final 12 months, marked his years in Toronto earlier than he was let go in an obvious energy wrestle.
A number of followers began a derogatory Dubas chant, but it surely needed to be a tougher sport for the Penguins’ fathers to endure, as this was their annual journey with their sons.
Pittsburgh, looking for its means after lacking the playoffs final 12 months, is now three video games below .500 and second final within the Metropolitan Division.
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The Leafs thought that they had a seventh objective when Gregor broke away and beat Nedeljkovic, but it surely gave the impression to be a fast whistle earlier than William Nylander added the true factor on a 2-on-1 with Bertuzzi.
Sidney Crosby, with 67 factors in 51 profession video games versus the Leafs, was denied a objective to make them the sixth group he’s managed at the very least 30 towards.
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He’s on the cusp of the league’s high 25 scorers with 31 factors this season at age 36.
“You continue to need to be ultra-aware of the place he’s and when he has the puck, the place his linemates are,” cautioned defenceman Jake McCabe earlier than the match. “He could make any cross there’s, a harmful risk down low along with his lower backs and power on his skates.”
Toronto killed all three penalties on Saturday, one other spotlight for them. They face the New York Rangers at dwelling Tuesday, every week after a 7-3 win there.
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