Matthews leads Leafs over Capitals in home opener
TORONTO — Sheldon Keefe wanted an answer.
The Maple Leafs head coach got just that in his team’s home opener thanks to a familiar face — and a few new ones.
Auston Matthews scored the game-winning goal in the third period and Ilya Samsonov made 24 saves against his former team as Toronto beat the Washington Capitals 3-2 on Thursday.
The Leafs were coming off a lackluster performance in a 4-3 road loss in Montreal some 24 hours earlier in their curtain-raiser that made the flight home uncomfortable.
Keefe gave a searing assessment of that performance and was no happier Thursday morning when he met the media following a tough team meeting.
« You don’t want to use one of those balls after the first game, » he said after the win. “We have high expectations as a team.
« It was important for us to really talk about it, to be honest about it, to not just dismiss it as just one more game or the one 82 game. »
Calle Jarnkrok, who like Samsonov signed in free agency, and John Tavares scored the other Leafs goals (1-1-0). Morgan Rielly added two assists.
« It’s a game, » said Matthews, the defending Hart Trophy winner as the NHL’s most valuable player after the league’s first 60-goal season in a decade, of Montreal’s loss. . “But you always want to start well.
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« Good rebound win. »
Nic Dowd and Marcus Johansson answered for Washington. Charlie Lindgren stopped 36 shots for the Capitals (0-2-0), coming off Wednesday’s 5-2 loss to Boston in their home opener.
« A start we don’t want to have, » Washington captain Alex Ovehckin said. « A wake-up call. »
With both teams playing the second in a straight streak, there wasn’t much ice available in the third period until Matthews tipped a Mark Giordano point shot that handcuffed Lindgren and dribbled down the goal line to break a 2-2 tie at 6:55 a.m.
Samsonov and his new teammates were then forced to hold on with the Leafs shorthanded twice in the final four minutes and Lindgren on the bench for an extra forward.
« We talked about being more patient with our game, » Tavares said. “We tried to do a little too much (in Montreal), we were caught hunting a little.
Toronto opened the scoring 6:40 from first on a power play that finally clicked after a few great chances when Rielly found Tavares.
The Capitals responded at 9:57 a.m. by Dowd before Johansson gave Washington the lead on a shot from off the run – a shot that Samsonov, who played three seasons with the Capitals before being released in July , will want to return at 1:52 p.m.
The Leafs bet big on Samsonov and Matt Murray – two goaltenders with solid pedigrees, but also a lot to prove based on their recent performances – after letting Jack Campbell walk in free agency.
“A lot of emotion in the first period, said the Russian goalkeeper. « First game with the Leafs for me and (against) my old team. »
Starting in place of No. 1 option Darcy Kuemper, Lindgren couldn’t do anything on Toronto’s equalizer at 4:03 of the second when Alexander Kerfoot took a pass to the offensive blue line and delayed before to find a Jarnkrok for his first with the Leafs.
Samsonov was in a shooting range later in the period on a power play, including an outburst from Ovechkin.
Toronto came awfully close to moving forward just before intermission, but Matthews and Michael Bunting failed to connect on a bouncing puck in the Lindgren crease before the Leafs pushed ahead in third .
« We had a frank discussion this morning, » Keefe said. « The guys reacted very well. »
SAMSONOV’S REVENGE
Samsonov was drafted 22nd overall by Washington in the 2015 draft, but did not receive a qualifying offer from Washington, making him a free agent.
The 25-year-old was 52-22-8 with a .902 save percentage and a 2.81 goals-against average in 89 regular-season appearances with the Capitals.
« My former teammates talked a lot with me today, » Samsonov said with a smile. « A lot of swear words…that’s good. »
ROCK BOTTOM
Hollywood star and former professional wrestler Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson was in the building to promote his new film ‘Black Adam’.
« TV downtime, kind of minding my own business, » Matthews said. « I look up and The Rock pops out of nowhere. That was pretty cool.
NEXT
Leafs: Host the Ottawa Senators on Saturday in the first of four meetings with their provincial rivals.
Capitals: Host the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday to open a two-game homestand.
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on October 13, 2022.
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© 2022 The Canadian Press
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