Easton Cowan and Fraser Minten Steal the Present as Maple Leafs Take Sport 1 of Rookie Prospects Showdown Towards Canadiens

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September 15, 2024

Though they have not made the NHL but, Easton Cowan and Fraser Minten are already invested within the Maple Leafs and Canadiens‘ rivalry.

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Each gamers had a aim within the recreation, and within the shootout, which helped the Maple Leafs safe a 4-3 win over the Habs within the opening of the prospect showdown. The trio of Cowan, Minten, and Nikita Grebenkin created many scoring chances and had been Toronto‘s high line within the recreation.

Toronto free-agent signee Braeden Kressler opened the scoring on the ability play within the first interval to assist issues get going.

After Canadiens’ prospect Adam Engstrom received on the board for Montreal, the Maple Leafs’ energy play, which went three-for-three within the recreation, continued to break the Habs.

Toronto’s man benefit, consisting of Cowan, Minten, Grebenkin, Roni Hirvonen, and Topi Niemela moved the puck extremely properly all through the sport. They generated loads of possibilities, together with this one, which Minten fortunately banked off a Canadiens’ defenseman and into the online.

The Maple Leafs prospects would get one other energy play later within the second interval, and once more, had nice puck motion. Minten discovered Cowan on a foul angle and the 19-year-old ahead put the puck into the again of the online with a terrific shot.

Toronto’s first-round decide within the 2023 NHL Draft was all over on this recreation —aside from a couple of giveaways — and dominated alongside the boards and within the corners when retrieving the puck.

Dennis Hildeby had a tough opening two durations, permitting two targets to squeak by means of him, which helped the Canadiens tie the sport at three a chunk. Nonetheless, from the third interval onwards, the 23-year-old was lights out.

Hildeby smothered each probability that Montreal had within the closing body and extra time.

With extra time fixing nothing, Montreal and Toronto went to a shootout, and Habs followers tried to do all the things of their energy to assist their group not enable a Maple Leafs aim.

Cowan, first up for Toronto, discovered the again of the online earlier than cheekily celebrating in entrance of the Montreal crowd.

After a Canadiens’ miss, a Grebenkin miss (although a very creative attempt), and a Montreal aim, it was as much as Minten to resolve how this recreation would finish. And he, like Cowan, discovered the again of the online earlier than celebrating in entrance of a virtually full Bell Centre.

Different takeaways from Sport 1 in Montreal

Though he is talked about above, Hildeby was very robust when it was wanted most. He made a number of saves within the third interval which helped save Toronto from doubtlessly shedding the sport after main it for nearly the whole first half.

The Swede is displaying why he may see some NHL motion sooner or later this season.

Other than his energy play aim, Kressler was quiet all through the sport. That was till he and his 5-foot-9 body laid a large hit on 6-foot-5 Canadiens prospect Tyler Thorpe.

There wasn’t a lot else that caught out from Toronto’s facet. Miroslav Holinka made a rapid — and inventive — play to set up Kressler for a scoring probability within the third interval. Each Cade Webber and Noah Chadwick used their massive frames to their benefit.

I anticipate Sunday’s recreation — at 1:00 p.m. in Montreal — to characteristic Toronto goaltenders Artur Akhtyamov and Vyacheslav Peksa. Forwards Ty Voit, Sam McCue, and defenseman Nathan Mayes must also play, in what is going to possible be a rowdy affair.

In case you’re inquisitive about watching Sunday’s matchup between Toronto and Montreal’s prospects, it will likely be accessible to observe totally free on the Maple Leafs’ website.