The Leafs have not said their last word

The Toronto Maple Leafs have no intention of letting the Boston Bruins run away with first place in the Atlantic Division without giving them a tough fight.

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Much to the delight of head coach Sheldon Keefe, who came under fire from some fans early in the campaign, the Leafs have won their last four games and now they’re chasing their section leaders. Even if the representatives of New England hold a priority of three points and hold as many games in hand, the fact remains that the successes of the Ontario formation suggest a tightening at the top of the classification. After all, its main tenors are there, with Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews, John Tavares and William Nylander each having amassed at least 25 points this season.

In short, the sensations are excellent in the locker room and the rest of the National League will have to fear the team in blue and white more, in particular Marner who has scored at least one point in 17 games in a row.

“It’s a demanding circuit. I don’t expect this every night. It’s more important to amass wins. That’s what we did and what makes us comfortable,” he told the Toronto Sun daily after a 4-2 triumph over the Detroit Red Wings on Monday.

“In this sport, nothing can be achieved by oneself. You need the help of your teammates, he added. I always try to find places where I can control the puck to make plays and try to spot guys on the ice.

Overcome obstacles

Despite everything, nothing is obvious for Keefe, who must deal with notable absentees on the blue line. The Morgan Riellys, Jake Muzzin and TJ Brodie are not there to contribute to the successes of the club, but the other players have taken over.

“Team play makes everyone better, complimented the driver. There are several teams having to manage with many injuries and they find the way to win.

“We are good enough to organize and finish on the right side of the scoreboard.”

The Leafs host the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday.