Sheldon Keefe said the Toronto Maple Leafs would reap the benefits of a convincing 6-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings.
Toronto are 10-2 for November so far, a league-leading number of wins, and sit in second place in the Atlantic Division after that surge.
Wednesday night's victory saw Keefe's team avenge a 5-1 loss to the Kings from earlier in the month when the Maple Leafs had a rare off night.
On this occasion, a 4-1 burst in the second period took the game away from the Kings, with the evening's endeavour leaving Keefe full of admiration for his team come the end of the game.
Goals from Pierre Engvall, Auston Matthews, John Tavares, Michael Bunting, Alexander Kerfoot and Jason Spezza sank the home side, with Rasmus Sandin notching three assists.
Keefe said: "I thought we did some good things in terms of how we want to attack the net, increase our volume a little bit. But I don't know if it's just a matter of some of the luck coming back our way. I don't know if we did anything a whole lot different than what we have been doing in other games, but it was certainly nice to see it going [our way].
"I can't remember the last time we've blown a game open like that. It's been a long time, all season frankly. So it was nice to have that.
"We've played good hockey on the road of late, but we haven't gotten the goals so we've really had to grind it out till the end, so it was nice today to have a nice cushion and leave here with lots of positivity.
"It's great for the team, great for the camaraderie of the group.
"It was nice to have that for our guys. When you’re scoring, the group is feeling good. We have played good hockey on the road here of late, but we haven’t gotten the goals.
"We have really had to grind it out to the very end. It was nice today to have a good cushion. We will leave here with lots of positivity and the group feeling good."
There was a negative among abundant positives as David Kampf hit his head after a coming together with the Kings' Rasmus Kupari and was withdrawn in the first period and kept off the ice thereafter.
Keefe said: "With the nature of the hit, it is precautionary. He will be re-evaluated tomorrow. We will take it from there.
"I saw a replay on the bench. It looked to me like direct contact to his head, so you hate to see that. I don't know how much intent was there, it looked pretty accidental to me."
Maple Leafs and superstar forward Auston Matthews agree to four-year, $53 million contract extension
The Toronto Maple Leafs and superstar center Auston Matthews agreed on a four-year, $53 million contract extension on Wednesday, making him the NHL’s highest-paid player.
Matthews has one year remaining on the five-year, $58.2 million pact he signed in February 2019, and he could have become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
With an average annual value of $13.25 million, Matthews will become the NHL’s highest-paid player beginning in 2024-25, surpassing Colorado star Nathan MacKinnon’s $12.6 million annual average value.
The 25-year-old Matthews has been one of the game’s elite players since he was selected with the first overall pick in the 2016 draft.
He led the league in goals twice (2020-21 and 2021-22) and has totaled 299 goals and 542 points in 481 regular season games.
Matthews’ best season came in 2021-22, when he set career highs with 60 goals and 106 points in 73 games, earning him the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s MVP.
He dipped to 40 goals last season but still tallied 85 points in 74 games.
The native of Scottsdale, Arizona leads all players in goals since the start of the 2016-17 season and ranks 11th in points during that span.
The Maple Leafs have reached the playoffs in every full season since Matthews entered the league but have advanced past the first round only once – defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning in a six-game series last spring.
Jonathan Toews stepping away from hockey, ‘not fully retiring’
Chicago Blackhawks center and longtime captain Jonathan Toews will take next season off for health reasons but is not ready to retire from the NHL.
The three-time Stanley Cup champion announced his future plans on social media Thursday.
Toews, a free agent after spending 16 years with the Blackhawks, missed the entire 2020-21 season with long COVID symptoms and chronic immune response syndrome.
“I’d like to announce that I am not fully retiring, but I am taking time away from the game again this season,” Toews posted on Instagram. “I cannot deny my love for the game of hockey and still feel the passion for competing at my highest level.
“However, these last few seasons have been very difficult considering my health challenges. My focus is to give myself the time and space to fully heal and enjoy life to the fullest once again.”
Toews played 53 games last season, totaling 15 goals and 16 assists, but has largely kept his medical struggles out of the public eye.
“Along the way I have met several people who have struggled with health issues pertaining to long COVID, chronic immune response syndrome, and other similar cases that are quite complex,” Toews’ post read. “I now recognize the importance of one day sharing the details of my health journey with you all.
“Thank you to all of you who have supported me and respected my privacy in the process.”
Toews captained Stanley Cup-winning Blackhawks teams in 2010, 2013 and 2015, winning the Conn Smyth trophy as the playoffs MVP in 2010.
In 1,067 career games, all with Chicago, Toews has tallied 372 goals and 511 assists, in addition to 119 points (45 goals, 74 assists) in 137 career playoff games.
Toews won the Selke Trophy in 2013 as league’s best defensive forward and was twice given the Messier Leadership Award.
Toews is a free agent after completing an eight-year, $84million contract but has previously expressed a desire to play his entire career with the Blackhawks.
“The thought of playing for another team right now is so far in the back of my mind right now, especially after that moment,” Toews said after receiving an emotional ovation from the team’s fans after the season finale. “I always thought I’d retire a Blackhawk and part of me still believes in that, so we’ll see.”
Longtime Boston Bruins center David Krejci announces retirement
Longtime Boston Bruins center David Krejci announced his retirement on Monday in a statement released by the team.
“After 15 full NHL seasons I have decided to retire from the best league in the world,” the 37-year-old Czech Republic native said.
“When I was drafted in 2004, I had no idea that I would be working with such incredible and driven people who would lead us to 3 Stanley Cup Finals, and winning the ultimate goal in 2011.”
Krejci made his NHL debut in January 2007 and spent his entire NHL career with the Bruins.
He returned to Boston last season after playing for Czech club HC Olomouc in 2021-22.
In the history of the Bruins franchise, Krejci ranks fifth in games played (1,032), 13th in goals (231), fifth in assists (555) and ninth in points (786).
“David, for 16 seasons you displayed an unmatched combination of creativity, poise, and wit – with an uncanny knack for coming up clutch – while remaining humble and determined through all your success,” the Bruins said in a statement.
“You are a special player, person, and teammate who has made a lasting impact on our organization and our city.
“For all you’ve done for the Boston Bruins, THANK YOU.”
Boston will head into the 2023-24 campaign without its top two centers from a season ago after captain Patrice Bergeron also retired last month.
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