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3 takeaways from Toronto Maple Leafs’ 4-2 win against Winnipeg Jets
The Toronto Maple Leafs head into their All-Star game break winners of three straight after sweeping a home-and-home series over the Winnipeg Jets, including a 4-2 win on Saturday night.
Before this series between two top Canadian teams, the Maple Leafs were 6-4-1 while the Jets were 10-2-0, including a recent nine-game win streak. However, the back-to-back losses send them into the break on a three-game losing streak, their third of the season.
3 talking points from Toronto Maple Leafs' 4-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets
#1. Ilya Samsonov may have just reclaimed his spot as Toronto's starter
After a poor start to the 2023-24 season, earning a 5-2-6 record and a .862 save percentage (SV%) through December, the Maple Leafs sent their $3.5 million netminder down to the minors. Since his return, he's skated in four games with a 3-1-0 record and a .939 SV% with one shutout and back-to-back amazing performances over the Jets.
On Wednesday, he backstopped Toronto to a 1-0 win, stopping all 32 shots he faced. Then, on Saturday night, he stood on his head to keep a 1-1 game close, allowing his teammates to find their offense and collect a 4-2 win. In the past three games, Samsonov has surrendered just three goals and has made 72 saves on 75 shots.
Even though Martin Jones played great during his demotion, the Maple Leafs signed Samsonov as their number one, and he's finally looking like one.
#2. Auston Matthews nets his 40th goal of the year, on pace for 70 goals this year
Auston Matthews became the first NHL superstar to collect 40 goals this season. He will surpass 60 goals at his current pace and could become the first player since Alexander Mogilny (76) and Teemu Selanne (76) in 1992-93 to score over 70 goals in a single season.
Upon returning from the holiday break, Matthews had only five goals in his first 10 games, but with another lamplighter on Saturday, he got seven in his last six games to reach 40 goals in 46 games.
#3. The Winnipeg Jets are facing adversity for the first time since late November
The Jets lost on Nov. 26 to the Nashville Predators and followed that up with defeats to the Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers. It was only the second time they lost three in a row this season. After that bumpy stretch, they rattled off four straight wins and eventually won nine in a row from Dec. 30 to Jan. 11, which catapulted them to the top of the NHL standings for the first time in franchise history.
However, since the win streak ended, they are just 2-2-2 and have been outscored 14-9 in the past six games. Considering that every top team in the league has suffered through difficult stretches of their schedule, there is no need to panic for Jets fans.
Outside of the Boston Bruins winning 79% of their games in 2022-23, no team will win at the pace, which means there will be stretches when adversity pops up. Many believe this Winnipeg team is a legitimate contender for the Stanley Cup; losing a few games in January doesn't affect the season's overall results.
If anything, losing two to the Maple Leafs will force them to look at their game and see how they can improve when going head-to-head with another powerhouse team.
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