Watch Toronto Maple Leafs beat Chicago Black Hawks in a thriller

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

Canada: Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…
USA: Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…

GAME SUMMARY         |           EVENT SUMMARY        |           FACEOFF SUMMARY

ON THE SCORESHEET

–       Kasperi Kapanen put the Maple Leafs on the board at 14:09 of the first period and later registered the primary assist on Auston Matthews’ first period goal. Tonight’s game is Kapanen’s first career multi-point game.

–       Auston Matthews registered the primary assist on Kapanen’s first period goal and later scored the second Maple Leafs’ goal of the night at 14:43 of the first period and the sixth Maple Leafs goal of the night at 18:58 of the third period. In overtime, he picked up the secondary assist on Morgan Rielly’s game-winning goal. Matthews has had multiple points in three consecutive games to open the season.

–       John Tavares scored Toronto’s third goal of the night at 3:56 of the second period, the fourth Maple Leafs goal of the game on the power play at 7:37 of the second period and the fifth Toronto goal of the night at 9:29 of the third period. With his hat trick tonight, the ninth of his career, Tavares is the first Maple Leaf to score a hat trick since James van Riemsdyk vs. Dallas on March 14, 2018 and the first Maple Leaf to score a hat trick on the road since William Nylander at Boston on February 4, 2017. Tavares’ most recent hat trick came last season as a member of the New York Islanders on October 28, 2017 at Nashville.

–       Morgan Rielly picked up the secondary assist on both of Tavares’ second period goals and later scored the seventh Maple Leafs goal of the game at 0:19 of overtime. Rielly has assists (4) and points (2-4-6) in three consecutive games to open the season and goals (2) in two consecutive games. His overtime goal is his first career overtime-winner.

–       Zach Hyman recorded the primary assist on Tavares’ first goal in the second period. Hyman has assists (2) in two consecutive games.

–       Mitch Marner recorded the primary assist on Tavares’ second goal of the game and later had the primary assist on Tavares’ third goal of the game. Marner has points (1-3-4) in two consecutive games.

–       Patrick Marleau registered the primary assist on Rielly’s overtime-winning goal. Marleau has assists (3) in three consecutive games.

–       Garret Sparks stopped 25 shots to earn his first victory of the season.

SHOTS FIRED

–       The Maple Leafs had a 34-31 lead in shots on goal in all situations and a 29-27 edge in shots on goal at 5-on-5.

–       Chicago had a 69-56 lead in shot attempts in all situations and a 58-51 lead in shot attempts at 5-on-5.

–       Kasperi Kapanen and John Tavares had a team-high seven shots on goal.

–       Kasperi Kapanen led the Maple Leafs with nine shot attempts.

SHOTS ON GOAL

SHOT ATTEMPTS

NO PLACE LIKE HOME

 –       The Maple Leafs are 1-0-0 on the road this season.

–       Toronto’s all-time record is 289-262-96-3 in 650 games between the clubs and 122-162-42-1 in 327 games in Chicago.

–       Toronto is 1-0-0 against the Western Conference this season and 1-0-0 against the Central Division.

MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS

 RECORD WHEN…

–          The Maple Leafs were 3-for-3 on the penalty kill and 1-for-2 on the power play tonight. Toronto is 1-1-0 when not allowing a power play goal this season and 2-1-0 when scoring a power play goal.

–          Toronto is 2-1-0 when their opponent scores the first goal of the game.

–          The Maple Leafs are 2-0-0 when tied after one period and 1-0-0 when leading after two periods.

–          Toronto has a 1-1-0 record when outshooting their opponent.

–          The Maple Leafs are 1-0-0 in Sunday games.

 OF NOTE…

–          Andreas Johnsson and Par Lindholm did not start a 5-on-5 shift in the offensive zone, which was tied for the lowest mark among Toronto skaters.

–          Auston Matthews won 67 percent (4 won, 2 lost) of his defensive zone faceoffs.

–          Morgan Rielly was on the ice for a team-high 28 Toronto shot attempts-for at 5-on-5 and had a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 56.0 percent (28 for, 22 against).

UPCOMING GAMES:

–       Tuesday, October 9, 8:30 p.m., at Dallas Stars (TSN4, FAN 590)

–       Thursday, October 11, 7:30 p.m., at Detroit Red Wings (TSN4, TSN 1050)

–       Saturday, October 13, 7:00 p.m., at Washington Capitals (Hockey Night in Canada, TSN 1050)

–       Monday, October 15, 7:30 p.m., vs. Los Angeles Kings (Sportsnet Ontario, FAN 590)

–       Thursday, October 18, 7:00 p.m., vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (TSN4, TSN 1050)

POSTGAME QUOTES:

HEAD COACH MIKE BABCOCK

On tonight’s win in Chicago:

It was probably fun for the fans, a lot of entertainment out there. Obviously, it was going in on both nets. We had a lot of good plays. They were flying, we were standing there watching them at the start — I don’t know if that’s too much respect or what that was at the start, but once we got playing I thought we did a real good job. Yet, the puck kept going in on our net. I thought we were home free a few times, but that never happened.

On Hyman’s role on the line with Tavares and Marner:

I don’t know, Zach get anyone to even talk about him but, to me, he’s just – why does that line play in the offensive zone all the time? He’s just go get it, go get it, go get it and go get it. He’s heavy. You look around the League and how many guys can skate like that, protect the puck like that. We like that. We’re fortunate to have him.

On the decision to put Kapanen with Matthews and Marleau:

Obviously, it wasn’t going very good and we needed to do something. Kappy is another big body. We’d like him to decide he wants to play like Hyman, that’s what we’d like him to decide to do. Get to the net, be on the inside all the time, bring it every single night. If he can do that, he can play a big part.

On Matthews’ game tonight and trading goal celebrations with Kane:

Yeah, I thought that was good. What I liked though was he was playing Toews head-to-head with Matty. I thought that was really good, a good matchup, a good opportunity for Matthews. Any time you’re playing against a determined leader like [Toews] I think it’s a real good opportunity for a young guy. He’s been the best, in my opinion, as a matchup guy. So, when you can play well against him, that’s important. Obviously, Tavares was unreal, that line was unbelievable for us.

On what Matthews can learn from playing against Toews every shift:

He’s a determined guy. You’re not getting a more determined guy, in my opinion, a better leader, in hockey than that guy. He knows how to play, he’s better in the big moments. It doesn’t matter who you play with him, they’re always good players. They might not be, but when they play with him, they’re good players and that’s what you want from Matthews. You want a guy who’s going to — he wants to be the best player in hockey. In order to do that, you’ve got to play 200 feet and play with and without it.

AUSTON MATTHEWS (2 GOALS, 2 ASSISTS)

On tonight’s high scoring game:

I’m sure it’s a game that the coaches don’t like, but as players it’s definitely pretty fun to play in. Going back and forth like that as a player, it’s pretty fun.

On his goal celebrations tonight:

I don’t know, I just show a little emotion. You think you got the game locked up but obviously 30 seconds left, big goal after they just scored one so sometimes all you can do is laugh. He’s obviously a premier player in this league and somebody I look up to. He was one of my favorite players growing up watching so when that happens you just have to sit back and laugh. When you’re in this position it’s pretty funny but we’re fortunate to get the win.

On Sparks getting the win in his hometown:

He made a huge save there at the end for us. He was pretty solid all night. A couple goals that are on us in our d-zone but all in all he was pretty solid and obviously, like you said, in his hometown. We were happy to get the win for him.

MORGAN RIELLY (GAME-WINNING GOAL, 2 ASSISTS)

On high scoring affair:

Yeah, obviously it was a strange night with the way it finished. We don’t want to be in that position too often but we’re happy with the outcome.

On Sparks getting the win in his hometown:

Very happy, obviously it’s a hometown game for him. He was really excited to come home and play and I thought he did a really good job, played well. We have lots of confidence in him. He’s proven he can play well at this level so moving forward we should build his confidence.

On the Tavares’ hat trick:

Mitch and [Tavares] were great, but I think Hyman really drives that line in terms of puck possession and what he can do down low. Obviously, John and Mitch find each other and work between the two of them, but Hyman I thought was outstanding as well.

GARRET SPARKS (25 SAVES)

On playing in Chicago tonight:

It was certainly exciting for everyone in the building. It was just great to be out there. Just being out there for the anthem and the Stan Mikita ceremony and knowing that I’ve been on the other side of the glass so many times, to get out on the ice for the first time was really cool. I thought I had some good saves, I thought I had some stuff I could clean up. Ultimately, you want to win the game and that’s all that matters. 7-6, I’ll take it.

On making saves early:

Obviously, when you start out like that you think things might go your way. It’s an amazing game, the puck can do incredible things and you just have to be on your toes for a full 60 minutes. Like I said, it’s just good to get back here. It’s amazing to be able to start a game in Chicago. It’s what you play your whole life for.

On managing the mental side of tonight’s game:

I wouldn’t even say the goals were as much of a mental challenge as, you know, the emotions of the day. There’s going to be goals, there’s not going to be six every night, but there’s going to be goals. You just have to manage that and keep your team in the game and make big saves when you can.

JOHN TAVARES (3 GOALS)

On tonight’s high scoring game:

A lot of momentum swings tonight. I think you could tell with some sloppiness on both sides at times with the first back-to-back of the year. We stayed with it, no quit. Whatever adversity we faced today, I thought we responded pretty well. Got some big plays from some big-time players.

More on tonight’s game:

I just think it’s great to come out on top. I think we know those are not ones you want to get in all the time but they are certainly exciting and certainly get the emotions up and down. I think it’s just a good character win coming off of yesterday and coming down a back-to-back on the road. Just dug deep and some big plays from many guys tonight, so nice to get the two points.