Three Things That Make These Maple Leafs Fun to Watch

There’s something enjoyable about a hockey team that finds different ways to win. The Toronto Maple Leafs beat the New York Rangers 5-4 on Thursday night in their third straight win, and this one had a little bit of everything. The game featured depth scoring, a late go-ahead goal, and a coach who seemed genuinely pleased with how his team played for a full 60 minutes.

Jim Hiller called it probably the team’s best effort of the season from start to finish. I like that assessment, especially because the Rangers pushed back and Toronto still found a way to finish the job. Here are three things that make these Maple Leafs worth watching.

1. The Fourth Line Is Having Some Fun.

Brandon Duhaime scored a goal and added two assists, Teddy Blueger scored and picked up an assist, and Troy Stecher delivered the winner with just 26.3 seconds left. That's a pretty good night for players who don't always get the headlines.

Hiller was especially happy to see the group celebrating Stecher's goal. These are the guys who block shots, chase down pucks, and do the unglamorous work. When that effort finally produces a big moment, it's fun to see the whole bench get excited. Hockey is a team game, and sometimes the best stories come from the players who don't expect to be the heroes.

2. Troy Stecher's Goal Started With Someone Else's Hard Work.

Stecher deserves plenty of credit for burying the winner, but Hiller pointed to Nick Paul's earlier effort. Paul drew a penalty, stayed on the ice, and then fought for a loose puck with one hand on his stick. That extra effort helped keep the play alive.

We don't always notice those little moments. A player works hard along the boards, wins a puck battle, or makes one more effort at the end of a long shift. Sometimes nothing comes of it. This time, it helped set up a goal that won the game. As Hiller noted, you keep doing those things because occasionally they make all the difference.

3. Toronto Is Getting Contributions From Different Places.

Kirill Marchenko and Easton Cowan also scored, giving Toronto goals from several different parts of the lineup. That's encouraging. A team becomes harder to defend when opponents can't concentrate on just one line or wait for its biggest names to do all the scoring.

There are still things to watch. The McKenna-Sissons-Lettieri line struggled in its limited five-on-five minutes, and Nick Blankenburg's injury is another concern. But a 5-4 win isn't a perfect report card, and it doesn't have to be. The Maple Leafs are finding ways to win, and contributions from players throughout the lineup make that a little more sustainable.

Toronto visits the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. That will be a tougher test, but after three straight wins, the Maple Leafs have given their fans a few good reasons to tune in. Let's see if they can keep this going.