In Toronto, Auston Matthews scored in extra time on Friday, to give the Maple Leafs a 2-1 win over the Calgary Flames.
“It was just keeping our composure tonight,” Matthews said. “When they scored, we didn’t get down. I thought we played pretty solid throughout the whole game, they’re a really good team and play well within their structure. They make it hard to generate offense, especially on the inside, so I think we just stuck with it and grinded it out.”
Jack Campbell made 30 saves in the Maple Leafs win.
“We’re playing hard and everybody was doing their job going back hard into the zone,” Campbell said. “The defensemen were making great plays and the forwards were helping out and there were a lot of blocked shots again tonight. It was kind of a playoff feel. Calgary is a deep team with a lot of great structure and [they] don’t give you too much. Their goalie played amazing tonight and really kept them in it, especially on a back-to-back for them.”
Toronto improved to 9-5-1.
“We’re playing hard and everybody was doing their job going back hard into the zone,” Campbell said. “The defensemen were making great plays and the forwards were helping out and there were a lot of blocked shots again tonight. It was kind of a playoff feel. Calgary is a deep team with a lot of great structure and [they] don’t give you too much. Their goalie played amazing tonight and really kept them in it, especially on a back-to-back for them.”
Oliver Kylington hot for the Flames only goal in the third, giving them a 1-0 lead.
“I thought we played a really good game,” Calgary head coach Darryl Sutter said. “We have been playing really well, just haven’t scored. I thought Dan was really solid. They’ve got a lot of high-octane shooters. The goalie has to make some good saves, which he did.”
Calgary dropped to 7-3-4.
“It was a nice goal, but at the end we didn’t win,” Kylington said. “For me, winning is the most important thing. I don’t care if I score or get points, I just want to win games, and we didn’t do it today.”
Ondrej Kase scored in the third period to even the game, 1-1, and force the extra session.
Toronto was scoreless in three power play chances.
“I think it’s getting there, the ability to be comfortable in lower-scoring games,” Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe said. “It certainly was not there earlier in the season. We felt we needed to score every shift early in the season, but I think we are settling into the realization of just it takes time, we have to be patient and can’t open ourselves up defensively. I thought we did a good job here today of protecting Campbell and not giving them a lot of really clean looks.”
Dan Vladar made 35 saves in the Calgary loss.
“I would love to face that shot again,” Vladar said of the OT goal. “I have to make that save and give us a chance.”
You must be logged in to post a comment.