Lightning score six in win against Maple Leafs
via NHL.com
The Tampa Bay Lightning became the seventh team in NHL history with 110 points through 70 games when they defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-2 at Scotiabank Arena on Monday.
“Our consistency throughout the season has been phenomenal, but we’re not patting ourselves on the shoulders,” Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman said. “We are looking at the big picture, we have 11 games here before the fun starts, so we have to keep going and keep playing games like these and have that in the back of our head, like today, of how good we are when we play the right way.”
Tyler Johnson and Cedric Paquette each scored two goals, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 25 saves for the Lightning (53-13-4), who have won four of their past five games. Tampa Bay has clinched a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and leads the Boston Bruins by 17 points for first place in the Eastern Conference.
“I thought we played a much better game in the neutral zone, not giving them chances off the rush,” Johnson said. “They have a lot of high-skilled guys who are able to create things. I thought we skated well, got above them, and just played the right way and took our chances when we got them.”
Auston Matthews and Connor Brown scored for the Maple Leafs (42-22-5), who are 3-1-1 in their past five games and trail the Bruins by four points for second in the Atlantic Division. Frederik Andersen allowed four goals on 19 shots before being pulled. Garret Sparks made 21 saves.
“The effort kind of just wasn’t there at times,” Matthews said. “I mean, I think in the third period we pretty much just quit. That’s on us as players. We’ve got to wake up and do a much better job and hold each other accountable. Not let [Andersen] or [Sparks] out to dry.”
They said it
“We’ve had a good season so far, but we really haven’t done anything yet. Our team is a bunch of competitors who work extremely hard. We continue to get better every single day. We don’t rely on our wins, our losses, our record, we just want to be better tomorrow than we were today, and I think we’ve been doing that.” — Lightning forward Tyler Johnson
“We have to do a lot better, this was a good wake up call for us. It was a measuring stick game, that’s the best team in the League. We didn’t come ready to play and they pretty much just slapped us.” — Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews
Need to know
The Montreal Canadiens reached 110 points in fewer than 70 games in three seasons (67 in 1976-77, 69 in 1975-76 and 69 in 1977-78); the Bruins did it in 70 games or fewer twice (69 in 1970-71 and 70 in 1971-72); and the Detroit Red Wings did it in 69 games in 1995-96. … McDonagh played his 600th NHL game. … Maple Leafs forward Kasperi Kapanen was a late scratch because he was ill.
What’s next
Lightning: At the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday (7:30 p.m. ET; FS-D, SUN, NHL.TV)
Maple Leafs: Host the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN, TVAS)
Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas made the following statement this evening following their game versus the Tampa Bay Lightning.https://t.co/gH6gdNd4wO
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) March 12, 2019
An insane inside-out by @AM34. #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/RHrUspIxIs
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) March 12, 2019
A closer look at tonight's special edition shirts for our #PoweredByFemaleFans Game.#LeafsForever #HockeyIsForEveryone pic.twitter.com/oJqczop3dv
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) March 11, 2019