‘Games you live for’: Mitch Marner leading Maple Leafs in face of uncertainty

TORONTO — The phrase “200-foot player” is frequently tossed out in a general sense. 

But seldom does a single player epitomize the compliment in a single game-winning sequence the way Mitch Marner did Saturday night on his first shift of overtime.

A hard Marner backcheck helped disrupt a scoring chance by Connor McDavid, the best 3-on-3 threat in the sport. Then Marner rushed the puck the length of the ice, looked off previous OT hero John Tavares on a 2-on-1, and sniped a clock-freezer blocker-side on Stuart Skinner.

And with that, the 200-foot player became a 200-goal scorer.

“It's just another day for Mitch Marner,” marvelled goalie Antony Stolarz, following the Toronto Maple Leafs’ second straight dramatic 4-3 comeback win in OT. 

“He's a great two-way player and someone that we appreciate. You watch his game, the way he goes up and down the ice and gives it his all, I'm happy that he got rewarded with that goal.”

So was Marner, who punctuated his snipe with a high kick and a fist pump so aggressive, it could’ve knocked out a 58-year-old Mike Tyson. (Or, at least, given him a decision.)

“I dunno. Got emotional. It felt good,” Marner said, the iconic Hockey Night in Canada towel draped around his shoulders.

“I mean, I try to play with excitement and fun out there. And those are games you kinda live for.”

The annual McDavid homecoming? Against the reigning “Canadian Team Closest to a Cup”? With no Auston Matthews on the ice? And trailing the Edmonton Oilers with only seven minutes in regulation?

Yeah, Marner and the Leafs got up for this one. 

Particularly the top line of Marner (one goal, one assist), John Tavares (one assist), and Bobby McMann (two goals), who — with help from the blueline and Stolarz’s 27-save showing — shut down the McDavid group at even strength.

McDavid finished a minus-3, his worst rating since Feb. 23.

Marner’s offensive contributions will hog the highlights, and understandably so. In these six games sans Matthews, Marner has had five multi-point nights. He leads all Leafs in assists (18) and points (24).

But there is great pride taken in winning the even-strength battle against the world’s best player, who arrived home on a 1,000-point high.

Marner was a game-high plus-3 while skating a team-high 24 minutes and playing an integral role killing off Ryan Reaves’ potential game-altering major penalty for drilling Darnell Nurse in the head.

“It’s probably the hardest challenge in the entire NHL right now,” Marner acknowledged.

“Just got to know you’re going to stay patient all game. Because if you cheat, it’s usually going to end up in the back of the net. You know, it's not just one guy. 

“As a five-man unit, we did a pretty good job tonight.”

The way Toronto’s new temporary top line has bested Alex Ovechkin and now McDavid head-to-head at both ends of the rink has got the attention of teammates and the coaching staff.

“To keep [McDavid, Zach Hyman, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins] with limited chances, it’s a good showing for them,” Matthew Knies said. “I think we're really happy with that line, and they've been really driving the play. And when those guys are going, it's pretty contagious for the rest of us.”

Just as Berube wished, the Leafs didn’t panic down 2-1. They didn’t cheat for offence or force nonexistent chances. They waited for the Oilers to cough up pucks (we see you, Evan Bouchard) just as they waited for the Capitals to make mistakes Wednesday. Then let their difference-makers make the difference.

Whether it’s via enthusiasm or patience, Marner has always been integral in setting the pulse of the group. (And on rare nights when he’s not charged up, usually the Leafs aren’t either.) 

None of this should arrive as a shock. 

Marner’s success — or, as the comments section will no doubt note, lack thereof — and the Leafs’ go hand-in-hand.

Great talent delivers great regular-season moment. 

No surprise, right?

“What surprised me is he shot the puck, honestly. I thought he was passing that,” Knies smiled. “But that's why he's a dual threat. I think he shoots the puck so well, too. And it's kind of hard to keep him off the scoresheet.”

True. 

Even in a critical and uncertain contract year that could affect the mind as well as the hands.

“He’s obviously not worrying about it,” Berube said. 

“He’s just playing hockey, and he's enjoying it. Every day, this guy has tons of energy and life at the rink and on the ice in practice and during the games. He’s in a really good spot right now.”

And when Marner finds himself in a good place, so do the Maple Leafs.

Fox’s Fast Five

• With plenty of friends and family in the building, McDavid did extend his point streak at Scotiabank Arena to nine games: four goals and 13 assists. He hasn’t gone pointless in a homecoming game since 2017 (and he looked deadly all night).

“He’s a pleasure to watch,” Knies said. “But it's pretty nerve-wracking playing against him.”

• Max Domi’s career-long point drought has now reached an unlucky 13 games. He has a minus-6 rating during that span.

It has been 24 games, stretching back to last spring, since the top-six forward has scored a goal.

Surely when Domi inked a four-year contract (the longest deal of his career) with his boyhood team, he did not foresee such an ineffective start.

“Players like that, they’re going to struggle mentally a little bit,” Berube said. “He’s just got to keep fighting through it. He'll be fine. But, obviously, he feels it. And I feel it for him. We talk to him about it, and he's got to just fight through it.”

The Leafs have given Domi practices off all week as he battles some physical ailment in addition to the confidence hit.

“We’re giving him maintenance days as much as we can to keep him going here,” Berube said. “It’s been a lot for him.”

• Remember when William Nylander asked for more ice time?

Well, with Matthews sidelined, Berube has been deploying Nylander on both the first and second power-play units in attempt to get one of the NHL’s second-place goal-scorers (12) more prime offensive looks.

Nylander also got some extra bottom-six shifts once Reaves got the boot and finished over 21 minutes.

• Classy career-spanning tribute video to honour Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s 1,000 games played. Not only did the D-man get a silver stick, but his son Leo was gifted a silver mini-stick.

• The Leafs mercifully assigned eighth defenceman Philippe Myers to the Marlies on a conditioning loan. 

Myers has essentially become a professional practice player this season, skating a grand total of 12:11 in his lone appearance with the Leafs three weeks ago.

Smart to get him some game action.