‘More like playoff hockey’: Nylander plays OT hero in tight Maple Leafs win

TORONTO – The night was begging for a game breaker.

The Minnesota Wild — owners of the quietest offence among all teams not purposely tanking — had executed their back-to-back road game to perfection.

Clean scoring looks were scarce. Structure prevailed. Highlights amounted mostly crisp perimeter passes. And the only thing preventing onlookers from yawning between popcorn bites was the hope that 3-on-3 overtime would finally unclog a 1-1 tug-o-war with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

That’s when William Nylander threw on a cape and flew to the rescue in style.

After losing the puck during an aggressive fourth-period charge to the net, Nylander swiftly stick-lifted Frederick Gauthier in the O-zone, danced past Matt Boldy like he was a mall cop on break, eluded Filip Gustavsson’s old-school poke check and flipped the winning puck under the goalie’s glove.

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That’s 33 goals, 56 steals, 70 points, five game-winners, and three OT clock-freezers for Number 88 in this, the season of his life.

“It’s no surprise for me right now,” smiled goaltender Ilya Samsonov, following another home victory.

“It looked like they were gonna break it out,” Mark Giordano said. “A lot of our forwards have that quality. They can strip pucks back. He’s one of the best in the league at it. So, you’re never safe around him when he’s behind you like that.

“The move to the net was pretty incredible.”

Nylander’s flash and dash provided a sparkling exclamation point after 60 minutes that contained all the thrills and plot twists of a Grade 12 algebra textbook.

Which is just the way the Minnesota Mild like it.

Unlike run-and-gun Buffalo Tuesday, the visitors refused to let the Leafs do Leafy things, clogging shooting alleys, finishing checks, and stuffing the neutral zone like a rigged-election ballot box.

“That’s an elite defensive team,” Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe said, pleased his group had squeaked out a 2-1 win. “They’re the No. 1 team in the NHL defending the rush.

“I thought we adapted to that. Stayed patient. Didn’t get frustrated. Didn’t open the game up. Didn’t take unnecessary risks or chances.”

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The Wild — who are scouring the trade market for another finisher like Nylander — actually edged the Maple Leafs 12-5 in high-danger chances. But Toronto is exercising more tolerance in these types of claustrophobic affairs than it had in years past.

“We’re going to be in a lot of those games down the stretch and in the playoffs. So, you gotta take what’s there and not force it, not get frustrated. I thought we did a good job,” Giordano said.

“There’s a lot of teams we’re playing coming up here that are fighting for playoff spots or right on the cusp. I think Minnesota was an example of that as well. Teams are going to play tight. They’re not going to take unnecessary risks, and we knew that coming in.”

The Leafs will practice Saturday morning before jetting on a five-game road trip that begins with dates in Seattle, Edmonton and Calgary — three cities fighting for their Pacific Division lives.

A fantastic test for all involved.

Samsonov, the starter, needs more reps under pressure. The more the forwards can get accustomed to not cheating for offence, the better. And GM Kyle Dubas should use these last few pre-deadline games to see how Toronto’s defence corps reacts to motivated forechecks while considering his next add.

“These are the kind of games that are gonna be coming down the line here,” Nylander says.

“So you gotta win these kind of games. I mean, it’s more like playoff hockey. So, it’s good for us. Patience is huge.

“Grind ’em out.”

Before they grind you down.

Fox’s Fast 5

• Ill-advised poke check be damned, Gustavsson is giving the legendary Marc-Andre Fleury a run for the Wild crease.

Fleury pitched a shutout in Columbus Thursday to improve his record to 17-13-3 with a .904 save percentage.

Gustavsson — an afterthought in the summer’s Cam Talbot trade — has been spectacular (15-8-3, .928) as Flower’s backup.

Considering Fleury jumped in at the 2022 trade deadline to steal workhorse Talbot’s No. 1 job, it will be intriguing who starts Game 1 of the playoffs for Minnesota, presuming the club can hold a spot.

• Matt Murray participated in Toronto’s morning skate and on Saturday is scheduled to take part in his first team practice since going down with his ankle injury on Jan. 17.

Keefe expects Murray to join the western road swing. The earliest he can return to action is March 1 in Edmonton.

• Auston Matthews lost his stick in the first period but purposely stepped on the puck to keep possession.

The Leafs went the other way, and David Kämpf jumped on for the stickless Matthews and scored later on this shift.

• Fun fact: The Maple Leafs are the only team that has not had a 5-on-3 power play so far this season.

The St. Louis Blues rank 31st in 5-on-3 opportunities with two. Seventy-two per cent of teams have had at least five. The Wild rank second overall with 11. The Jets top the league with 14.

• O’Reilly didn’t bleed Blue and White as a child, but he did have a fondness for early-2000s fan favourite Darcy Tucker.

The Clinton, Ont., native lived with Tucker during his first and Tucker’s final season in the NHL (2009-10). They are still friends. 

“I can remember the crazy Tucks eyes that he’d have when you turned on the TV to watch the Leafs,” O’Reilly said.

“He says I’ll absolutely love it here. We know he loves it here and all the things he’s done for the city. We have great conversations.”

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