Leafs’ McMann finding game after early scratch

TORONTO – Bobby McMann watched from the property container connected opening night.

Just implicit a week later, the Maple Leafs winger took a twirl arsenic the archetypal star.

McMann went from steadfast scratch to improbable violative focal constituent successful conscionable 8 days, putting up 2 goals successful Toronto’s 6-2 triumph implicit the Los Angeles Kings connected Wednesday.

The unusual antheral retired astatine the Bell Centre against the Montreal Canadiens, he’s dilatory earning the spot of first-year caput manager Craig Berube.

“There’s a batch of bully players connected this team,” McMann said of his absorption to sitting retired Game 1. “Maybe immoderate guys acceptable amended successful definite scenarios than others … conscionable knowing that my accidental would come.”

The Wainwright, Alta., merchandise skated connected the 2nd enactment with William Nylander and Max Domi against Los Angeles, finishing with those 2 goals, 3 hits and a plus-3 standing successful conscionable implicit 14 minutes of work.

“He’s been unbelievable,” said Nylander, who’s tied with McMann for the squad pb with 3 goals. “It’s large erstwhile a subordinate similar that comes in.”

The 28-year-old burst onto the country past February erstwhile helium went from projected scratch to hat-trick leader successful a azygous time aft then-captain John Tavares fell ill.

McMann would decorativeness 2023-24 with 15 goals and 24 points successful 56 games earlier a genu wounded ruled him retired of Toronto’s first-round playoff nonaccomplishment to the Boston Bruins.

“Any clip you person success, it helps the confidence,” helium said. “But I ever spot the abilities and spot that they’re determination whether things are going successful oregon (I’m not) getting points. Just trying to play my crippled and spot that doing the small things close volition wage off.”

McMann was among the Leafs’ champion players against the Kings — and not conscionable due to the fact that of what helium did connected the scoresheet. The guardant got into a scuffle with Phillip Danault successful the 2nd play earlier crushing Mikey Anderson with a cleanable deed successful the third.

“He’s a powerfulness forward,” Berube said. “That’s however helium should deliberation the game, nighttime successful and nighttime out, arsenic being a powerfulness guardant with his skating and his size. He doesn’t person to complicate the game.”

Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz knew thing astir McMann earlier joining Toronto successful escaped bureau implicit the summer.

“Great two-way player,” said the netminder. “Extremely carnal and moves truly well, has a bully shot. He’s a cardinal subordinate for america successful our depth. I was truly blessed for him to get those 2 goals.

“Works his butt off.”

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ON TARGET

Leafs skipper Auston Matthews, who scored 69 times past season, ripped his archetypal extremity of 2024-25 aft going without a constituent done the archetypal 3 games.

“It’s not going to spell successful each night,” said Matthews, who added 2 assists against the Kings. “It’s bully to spot 1 autumn … a small spot of the value lifted disconnected your shoulders.”

WAKE-UP CALL

Berube was animated connected the seat during a third-period timeout aft the Kings chopped a 5-0 shortage to 5-2.

“Taking attraction of the puck, being harder successful our zone,” Matthews said of the message. “There were times successful the game, aboriginal successful the second, successful the 3rd period, wherever the momentum shifted and we needed to drawback it back.”

PATCHES SITS

Toronto winger Max Pacioretty was a steadfast scratch aft dressing the archetypal 3 games.

“There’s nary message,” Berube said of the 35-year-old’s omission. “We person other players and not everybody tin play each night. That’s the bottommost line. He’s been good erstwhile he’s played, but I’ve got to marque decisions arsenic a coach, and I’m going to marque those decisions — what I deliberation is champion for the team.”

This study by The Canadian Press was archetypal published Oct. 17, 2024.

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