Leafs-Rangers: Toronto Scores Five Late to Get The Win

On display again last night was a level of determination not seen on a Leafs roster in years, perhaps even decades. 

Trailing by two goals late in the third period, the Maple Leafs staged an inspired comeback, defeating the league-leading New York Rangers by a final score of 5-2.

A Rangers goal scored by Ryan Callahan with less than a minute left in the first period seemed as though it could be setting the tone for the next two periods. 

Alas, the Leafs came out with great gusto in the second, and although they allowed the Rangers to get another one courtesy of Blair Betts, the Leafs looked to be the dominant team on the ice.

Persistence finally paid off and it was John Mitchell’s third period goal, his first in the NHL, that really lit a fire under the Leafs offense tonight.  He took his time with a loose puck, waited out Valiquette and delivered a shot to the far corner that beat the Rangers goalie. 

Mitchell showed a level of patience in his delivery not often seen in a forward who’s spent the past five seasons in the minors, and like we’ve seen so many times this season, the rest of the team fed off the goal and went on to score four more in just over five minutes.

You could make the argument that the outcome of last night’s game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the New York Rangers was a result of a breakdown by the Rangers as much as it was the third-period onslaught by the Maple Leafs. 

It certainly didn’t hurt that the Rangers defense had a complete meltdown and the entire team were coughing up pucks all over the place.  Add to that the complete deflation of Steve Valiquette’s confidence and you’ve got a classic third period collapse I’m sure the Rangers would like to have back.

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