The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-0 in Game Two of the Stanley Cup Qualifiers to tie the series 1-1.
The Leafs were the epitome of persistence on Tuesday afternoon. After 96 minutes, 55 shots, and 4+ periods, they found a way to beat Columbus' Joonas Korpisalo and bring the sweet, sweet melody of Hall and Oates back to Scotiabank Arena.
Toronto showed up to play with the hunger that was promised after Sunday's loss, dominating both ends of the ice from puck drop. After holding a 15-6 shot advantage after the first period, it was simply a matter of time until the puck found its way into the net.
Auston Matthews cracked the Korpisalo code on a redirection from Zach Hyman midway through the second period to get Toronto on the board, and all of Leafs nation breathed a collective sigh of relief. Captain John Tavares added to Toronto's lead with a breakaway goal in the third period, followed by a Morgan Rielly empty net lazer from almost 200 feet to seal the game.
Toronto relied on another strong performance from Frederik Andersen who only faced 20 shots, but stood strong on four penalty kills, and made timely saves down the stretch. Steady Freddie is now sporting a .981 save percentage throughout two games this series.
Game tape was studied and homework was completed, making all the difference between Sunday and Tuesday. Toronto made key adjustments to earn the win this afternoon, penetrating the offensive zone for 39 shots and bringing more grit and physicality on the forecheck.
A game that was full of energy and passion ended on a solemn note as Jake Muzzin left the game on a stretcher late in the third period after a collision with Oliver Bjorkstrand. Afterwards Tavares spoke about the difficulty in seeing his teammate's injury. "Very tough to see, especially with just how much you love that guy." Frederik Andersen added more on the character Muzzin brings to the team dynamic. "He's very well loved in the locker room. Being as tough as he is, it's tough seeing him being told to lay down and not move."
Following the game, Maple Leafs PR shared an update that Muzzin had been transported to hospital but was alert and able to move all of his limbs.
Toronto and Columbus will return to action for Game Three on Thursday night, with a 2-1 series lead on the line.
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Ailish Forfar is a writer for MapleLeafs.com, professional hockey player and member of the PWHPA. She previously played for the Markham Thunder of the CWHL and played collegiate hockey for Dartmouth. Ailish has previously written for Yahoo! Sports and The Score.
