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On an evening of firsts, Dennis Hildeby obtained the higher of Sheldon Keefe on Thursday in Newark.
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In his Nationwide Hockey League debut, Hildeby made 22 saves within the Maple Leafs internet, serving to lead Toronto to a 4-2 win and ruining Keefe’s preliminary sport on the Prudential Middle as coach of the Devils.
The Leafs shrugged off their season-opening shutout loss in Montreal 24 hours earlier, rebounding with dedication and a few end of their first assembly with Keefe since he was fired by Toronto in Could.
Our takeaways:
HILDEBY HUGE
Because the Leafs flew residence and regarded forward to their residence opener on Saturday night time towards the Pittsburgh Penguins, that they had to be ok with their goaltending within the wake of the most recent Joseph Woll damage.
Some 24 hours after Anthony Stolarz was sharp in a 1-0 loss towards the Canadiens, the 23-year-old Hildeby was on level as he confronted pictures in an NHL sport for the primary time.
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It helped that the Leafs gave Hildeby a 3-0 lead within the first interval, however let’s be clear: From begin to end, the 6-foot-7 Hildeby regarded like he belonged, getting the job carried out with a excessive degree of calm and well timed saves.
His greatest cease may need been on Jack Hughes on the prime of the crease within the first interval, however there have been a number of others that required Hildeby to be alert.
“Nice feeling, feels wonderful,” Hildeby advised TSN’s Mark Masters after the sport. “Particularly (as a result of) I understand how a lot it issues to my household. It means quite a bit. Respect the sport the boys performed. It helped quite a bit.”
It was speculated through the day that Stolarz was going to begin for the second night time in a row. The Leafs nearly by no means begin the identical goalie on back-to-back nights, and had they carried out so, it could have undermined Hildeby’s confidence. Coach Craig Berube snuffed out the rumours when he advised the media a few hours earlier than the sport that Hildeby was getting the decision.
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It’s awfully early, but it surely’s going to be intriguing to witness how this goaltending state of affairs with the Leafs unfolds. The idea is that Matt Murray, in some unspecified time in the future, would be the subsequent man up following Woll and Stolarz. However Hildeby was good within the pre-season and demonstrated on Thursday that NHL competitors gained’t rattle him.
As Murray will get some motion with the Toronto Marlies to get his sport into gear, Hildeby simply has to proceed what he did in his debut, for nonetheless lengthy Woll will probably be out.
man they name the Hildebeast has a shiny future within the Leafs internet. Let’s see if that comes slightly earlier than most observers had been pondering.
Dwelling-grown goalies, the place it includes the Leafs, have been a rarity. Woll might grow to be too injury-prone to be that man.
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Taken within the fourth spherical by Toronto in 2022, Hildeby has the potential to place himself within the place.
FOURTH A FORCE
All due respect to Ryan Reaves, however he won’t need to shell out any cash on tickets for associates on Saturday night time at Scotiabank Enviornment.
Reaves had an impression with the Leafs in Montreal, however with Bobby McMann taking his place within the lineup at Newark, there was a greater likelihood for offence from the fourth line.
And the Leafs obtained that, when McMann scored after Max Pacioretty gave Toronto a 1-0 lead. Subsequent was Steven Lorentz, who beat Jacob Markstrom with a backhand.
Lorentz earned a job after arriving at camp on knowledgeable tryout, and he’s not going wherever. His enthusiasm and apparent love of enjoying within the NHL can’t assist however rub off a bit within the dressing room. On the ice, his dimension and skill on the forecheck already is having an affect.
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Centred by David Kampf, the job of the fourth line is meant to assist put on the opposition down, particularly defencemen, and doing it with heavy hockey within the offensive zone.
Throw in a few targets? Nicely, Berube couldn’t ask for far more. A dose of offence isn’t one thing that Reaves gives. Actually, Berube can’t merely return to Reaves on Saturday on the expense of McMann.
Don’t attempt to repair what works. On Thursday, the fourth line labored fairly properly.
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STARS DON’T ALIGN
Pacioretty scored his first purpose with Toronto. John Tavares, off a cross from Max Domi, gave the Leafs insurance coverage within the second interval.
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As for these aforementioned different three? Crickets.
We wouldn’t have predicted that Matthews, who got here inside one purpose of 70 final season, would head into Saturday with out one in 2024-25. He tried to attain on an empty Devils internet from the Leafs’ half of the ice within the last minutes and, had he been profitable, it could have marked his first shot on purpose of the sport.
Marner had one shot on Markstrom. Nylander — who took a foolish holding penalty late within the third and was fortunate he didn’t get one other minor for unsportsmanlike conduct when he slapped the puck down the ice — additionally had one shot on purpose.
Execution was a difficulty for the Leafs’ greatest gamers in Montreal. An evening later in Newark, they didn’t even get the probabilities to execute.
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That prolonged to the ability play, which did not rating on two benefits after going 0-for-4 towards the Canadiens.
If the Leafs on Friday didn’t have a beforehand scheduled time off (which they at all times do, regardless of who’s teaching, after back-to-back video games), we’d guess they’d have been doing loads of particular groups work.
Memo to assistant coach Marc Savard: We’re ready to see what impression you may make right here.
That the Leafs once more took a number of undisciplined penalties, together with an pointless roughing minor by Simon Benoit within the third, must be bothersome for Berube.
These could be cleaned up, and as for the zeroes within the factors column alongside the names of Matthews, Marner and Nylander, these most undoubtedly will probably be cleaned up.
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