Takeaways - Leafs vs. Kings - 10/15/18

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<br>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.

MARLEAU'S POWER PLAY GOAL DOUBLES LEAFS' LEAD BEFORE FIRST INTERMISSION
The Leafs and Kings each had nine shots on net in the opening period, but Toronto entered the first intermission with a 2-0 lead thanks to forward Patrick Marleau's first goal of the season, which came on the power play with only 22 seconds left in the frame:

Marleau waited with a veteran's patience at the side of Campbell's net, staying there just long enough for the netminder to commit his position before snugly tucking the puck past him. The goal gave Toronto yet another man advantage marker headed into the second period.
KINGS GET ON SCOREBOARD EARLY IN SECOND, BUT MARNER RESTORES TWO-GOAL ADVANTAGE
Los Angeles outshot Toronto 15-8 in the second period, but Leafs goalie Garret Sparks stopped all but one - a goal scored by winger Ilya Kovalchuk at 3:38 of the frame - and the Buds were able to restore their two-goal advantage at the 8:32 mark when winger Mitch Marner and his linemates John Tavares and Zach Hyman combined for a terrific goal:

The start of the scoring sequence - other than Sparks' stellar play at the other end of the ice - began with Hyman making a fantastic play just inside the Kings' blueline, and somehow taking two L.A. defenders down with him; the puck came to Tavares on the right side of Campbell, and Tavares made a phenomenal pass to Marner at the other side of the net. Marner tapped it in for his fourth goal of the season (and the fifth assist of the year for both Tavares and Hyman), and Toronto rode Sparks' play in net to keep the score at 3-1 for the remainder of the period.
LEAFS PUT KINGS AWAY WHEN MATTHEWS, KAPANEN PRODUCE BUDS' FOURTH GOAL
The Kings again outshot Toronto (this time, by a 7-1 mark through the first 12 minutes of the third period). However, the Leafs didn't want to allow L.A. to get an early goal in the third and come within game-tying distance for the remainder of regulation time, and with Sparks continuing to play a focused, smart game between the pipes, Toronto all but iced their fifth win in a row at 7:45 of the third when Kapanen and linemate/centre Auston Matthews made the most of a 2-on-1 rush and registered the Buds' fourth goal of the evening:

Matthews' amazing patience with the puck, and Kapanen's ability to finish at top speed, made it 4-1 for the home team and assured the Leafs' win streak would stay alive. Toronto's next opponent is Pittsburgh at Scotiabank Arena Thursday night - and with Pens captain Sidney Crosby and his team still seeking their first road win of the season, the Leafs will have to get more first-rate netminding, and production from throughout the lineup, to keep the win streak going.