Leaf tips: Full power again for at least one night

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The Maple Leafs eventually defeated their division rivals Boston, but winger William Nylander was in “let’s get serious” mode.

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“It’s a game, it’s a regular season,” he said after Tuesday night’s 4-0 win at Scotiabank Arena.

Our takeaways:

MORE POWER FOR YOU

After falling close to the bottom of the NHL power play rankings, the Leafs struck three times, led by Matthew Knies. He couldn't have been a better figurehead for head coach Craig Berube, who constantly stressed the group was more “direct” by watching Morgan Rielly's goal and adding a goal of his own.

“We talked about things we could improve, in traffic and shooting, and he played a big role in that conversation,” praised Rielly.

Knies said being a net presence was one of his specialties at the University of Minnesota, but it wasn't until Tuesday that Auston Matthews was out because of a nagging upper-body injury to get that role under new coach Craig Berube. Of course, the NCAA didn't have huge defenders and big goalies trying to take him down in a turf war.

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“I’m a bigger player (6-3) and I like to take my eyes off (the goalie) and play down there,” Knies said. “I leave it to the skill people to go outside, stick my stick in a good area and let them find me.”

“We’re just getting more pucks in the net. You saw that when Willy (Nylander) got a tip from his own guy and he found me at the net.”

The Leafs ended a long lull with a man-advantage goal in Minnesota that used five forwards, but Matthew's absence meant defenseman Rielly got back on point with a willing knee in the trenches.

“It was very good,” said Berube about the first session and was happy to be able to change the subject after the futility of October. “A shot from the point (Rielly's), another with a shot, screen, goal. It was pretty simple, but I thought they executed it well. Mitch Marner made a great play on Knie’s back door that could have been a goal.”

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STOLARZ STARS

Anthony Stolarz survived an early stinger shot from an unprotected part of his upper shoulder and made 29 saves for his ninth NHL shutout, first as a Leaf. Brad Marchand, who broke the Leafs a few times with late goals, was 0-3 on seven total shot attempts, Stolarz threw out his big blue cushions a few times.

“I’m really happy that we beat a division team,” Stolarz said. “It makes it easier when you can see. The guys did a really good job boxing so I was able to see the first release and take advantage of all the opportunities.”

Stolarz also gets so far away from his goal stick that he thinks the Leaf equipment men should give him some mitten strings so he can hold on to them. But he said people should get used to seeing it lying around in the crease, out of reach.

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“It’s just the way I play,” said the 6-foot-2 Jersey native. “The fight, the intensity. Obviously teams are throwing a lot of bodies at me and the time it takes me to get them around or over others is sometimes the difference between the puck going in or not.

“I feel comfortable playing without them, and the pads kind of seal today so there really aren't any holes. You don't want to lose it, but at the end of the day for me it's more of a competitive thing. I just want to stop the puck.”

BRUIN'S STREAK RUINED

Coming off a pair of shutouts in Toronto, their overtime win over the Leafs 10 days ago, part of seven straight regular-season wins, the Bruins were poised to add to their playoff misery from a heartbreaking Game 7 last spring. On Tuesday evening it was different.

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“These guys have had us under control for a while,” Knies said. “We’re all a bit frustrated here and wanted to get some physical activity and get involved in them. It went both ways, we're both angry at each other, it's very emotional. I'm not shocked that there were plays after the final whistle (and so many penalties).

“It's a shame to lose your best player (Matthews), but everyone has improved and we showed we have a lot of depth. We had the edge in the special teams department (six kills).”

Stolarz called it probably the Leafs' most complete game this year.

“They are a very good team, we know they will try to wear us down physically. We had to match their intensity.”

While Max Domi won't replace Matthews' goal, he had no problem mixing it up with Marchand, more than the Leaf captain would have.

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