Mitch Marner makes MVP case in win against Utah
The Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Utah Hockey Club 3-2 at Scotiabank Arena and notched their seventh win in eight games despite missing Auston Matthews.
As seen on Editor in Leaf, Mitch Marner delivered another MVP-caliber performance, scoring two goals, including a power-play goal.
He was leading the team with a 78% Expected Goals (xG) rating.
Mitch Marner's excellent form has carried the Leafs through Auston Matthews' absence and he now has multi-point game in seven of his last eight games.
Plus, he ranks 13th in NHL scoring with 28 points and he his trailing the league leaders by just seven and since November, only Connor McDavid has more points than Mitch Marner in points.
Joseph Woll continued his excellent season in goal, building on his recent shutout against Vegas.
He has been a cornerstone of Toronto's league-best goaltending tandem and helped the team maintain their position atop the Atlantic Division with a three-point lead over the Florida Panthers.
The game also marked Alex Nylander's debut with his brother William Nylander.
While their contributions were limited, they added depth to Toronto's attack, which was much needed with the multiple injuries.
Rookies Fraser Minten and Nick Robertson generated chances, and Fraser Minten even nearly scored on a power play.
Despite the victory, Toronto missed an opportunity to dominate the scoreboard and failed to capitalize on a lengthy 5-on-3 advantage.
Additionally, the defensive pairing of Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Morgan Rielly struggled and raised concerns about OEL's ability to handle top-four minutes as his early-season form fades.
The Maple Leafs' recent success has been powered by elite goaltending and Mitch Marner's brilliance, but improvements in special teams and defense are needed.
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 25 | 128 ANSWERS Mitch Marner makes MVP case in win against Utah Do you think Mitch Marner can win the MVP this year? | ||
| Yes | 101 | 78.9 % |
| No | 27 | 21.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
