The Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that the club has loaned goaltender Eamon McAdam to the Toronto Marlies (AHL).

When he started this season's training camp, winger Kasperi Kapanen wasn't assured of anything. But the 22-year-old has made the most of the opportunities Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock has extended to him - posting four goals and eight points in Toronto's seven games this year - and although he's happy for his individual success, he's most pleased to play a role in the team's strong start to the campaign.

KAPANEN NETS LEAFS' FIRST GOAL FOR SECOND STRAIGHT GAME WITH EARLY FIRST-PERIOD MARKER

The Leafs were carrying a four-game win streak heading into Monday's match against the Kings, and, just like he did in Toronto's 4-2 victory over Washington, winger Kasperi Kapanen had the Buds' first goal of the night:

Video: LAK@TOR: Kapanen scores, Matthews extends streak

This time, Kapanen netted the goal just 46 seconds into the game, finding a way to bank the puck in off the back of Kings goaltender Jack Campbell for his third goal of the season. It was a creativ-minded marker that instantly gave Toronto and the crowd at Scotiabank Arena energy and confidence, and had the visiting Kings on their heels right off the hop.

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that the club has recalled goaltender Eamon McAdam from the Newfoundland Growlers (ECHL) on an emergency basis. Frederik Andersen is listed as day-to-day with a knee injury.

LEAFS SURRENDER FIRST GOAL EARLY IN FIRST, BUT PULL EVEN IN SECOND

The Leafs' tilt with the Capitals was the last of a four-game road trip for Toronto, and the Buds allowed the first goal of the night - and the only goal of the period - just 18 seconds into the game. But the Leafs showed resilience early in the second frame, and their work paid off with the game-tying goal at 3:30 of the period:

Video: TOR@WSH: Kapanen pots wicked redirection five-hole

Winger Kasperi Kapanen registered his second goal of the year on the scoring play when he deflected defenceman Ron Hainsey's shot from the point past Capitals goalie Braden Holtby. Hainsey's assist extended his points streak to three games, and centre Auston Matthews' secondary assist was his fourth helper of the season and 13th point of the year.

It also gave Matthews at least a point in every one of Toronto's six games this season, but more importantly, it was a push-back-goal against the defending Stanley Cup champions early enough in the game to prevent the Caps from striking for a second goal and getting a confidence boost.

LEAFS GIVE UP FIRST GOAL, BUT TIE IT WITH RIELLY GOAL BEFORE INTERMISSION

Toronto was seeking its third win in a row after Tuesday's 7-4 victory over Dallas, and Thursday's game was their second-to-last in a four-game road trip. So some might have surmised the Leafs were tired in surrendering the first goal against the Red Wings 7:18 into the opening period, but that theory would soon be proven wrong. Indeed, at 15:48 of the first frame, the Buds evened the score at a goal apiece on defenceman Morgan Rielly's third goal of the season:

Video: TOR@DET: Rielly finishes off Marner's sweet feed

TORONTO, ON, October 9, 2018 - The Toronto Maple Leafs will host its inaugural Leafs Gaming Day on Sunday, October 21, 2018 at Real Sports Bar & Grill in Toronto. The event will feature EA SPORTS NHL 19 and Fortnite gaming with Toronto Maple Leafs players, members of popular gaming collective FaZe Clan, the top eight ranked players from the Leafs Gaming League online ladder, gaming enthusiasts and fans. 

MARNER, MATTHEWS PUSH LEAD TO 2-1 BY END OF THE FIRST 20 MINUTES OF PLAY

1. In their second outing of a four-game road swing, the Leafs' offense showed no signs of losing its potency when they hit the Texas ice Tuesday. Winger Mitch Marner - who generated a pair of assists Sunday against the Hawks - began the scoring against the Stars when he took a pass from linemate Zach Hyman and fired a wrist shot past Dallas goalie Ben Bishop to make it 1-0 at the 9:40 mark:

Video: TOR@DAL: Marner wires home wrister from the slot
 

Toronto's lead held up for nearly eight minutes of the opening frame, before Dallas winger Alex Radulov fired the puck at Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen, only to have the puck deflect off Buds defenseman Nikita Zaitsev and cross Toronto's goal line to tie it at one goal apiece at 17:23. However, the Leafs retook the lead 1:35 after Radulov's goal when winger Kasperi Kapanen followed up a shot on Bishop by corralling his rebound, curling in the offensive zone, and finding Matthews with a backhand pass that Matthews fired past Bishop to put Toronto ahead 2-1 with 62 seconds left until the second intermission:

Video: TOR@DAL: Matthews rips quick one-timer past Bishop

The goal was Matthews' league-leading sixth of the season, and gave him a four-game goal streak. The 21-year-old now has nine points as well, and to say he is continuing to blossom as a young superstar in hockey's top league is to understate it.
 

LEAFS CLIMB OUT OF 2-GOAL HOLE IN FIRST THANKS TO TWO QUICK GOALS FROM KAPANEN, MATTHEWS

1. The Leafs were playing the second of two games on back-to-back nights, and they were taking on a surprisingly tough Blackhawks squad that's started the regular season 2-0-0. Chicago continued their strong play in early in the first period of Sunday's tilt with Toronto, scoring the first two goals of the night - both within a three-minute span halfway through the first period - to put the Leafs in a significant hole.

However, the Buds moved rapidly to erase the Hawks' advantage, getting two goals from the unfamiliar duo of centre Austin Matthews and Kasperi Kapanen. The Finnish winger was first to strike (at the 14:09 of the first frame), when he took control of a perfect fipped-up pass from Matthews, split the Hawk's 'D' and wound up on a breakaway against Chicago's Cam Ward:

Video: TOR@CHI: Kapanen beats Ward with quick wrister

That goal, which came at 14:09 of the first, was Kapanen's first of the season, and Matthews earned his second assist on it. And only 34 seconds later, the same two players combined to tie the score:

Video: TOR@CHI: Matthews scores off Kapanen's sweet feed

On this scoring play, Kapanen, did some yeoman's work to pick up the puck behind the net of Chicago's Ward, got the puck out to Matthews using a backhanded pass, and Matthews fired it quickly into the Hawks net for his fourth goal of the season and to make it a 2-2 game .

SENS SCORE ONLY GOAL IN FIRST, BUT LEAFS SCORE TWICE IN FIRST 70 SECONDS OF SECOND FRAME

1. The Leafs were seeking to start a winning streak by putting up a second-straight victory at Scotiabank Arena Saturday, but they didn't get off on the right foot, as the Senators scored the only goal of the first period. But they came out of the dressing room intent on taking a lead of their own - and they did so with two goals in the first 70 seconds of the second frame.

The first goal came on a goal from defenseman Morgan Rielly, who was the recipient of a brilliant cross-ice pass from winger Mitch Marner and tapped the puck past Senators goalie Craig Anderson at the 29-second mark for his first goal of the season: 

Video: OTT@TOR: Marner spots Rielly backdoor with great pass

Video: OTT@TOR: Matthews beats Anderson with quick wrister