@ Columbus

The Leafs went into Columbus and actually managed to win by four goals, though the shot clock suggests we were basically a shooting gallery for the Blue Jackets. Despite being outshot thirty five to twenty two, we somehow walked away with a six to two victory. Kirill Marchenko got things started on the power play, but the real chaos happened in the second period where we scored four times on only five shots. It is the most typical thing possible for this team to be completely outplayed in terms of puck possession and still find a way to make the score look like a blowout.

Easton Cowan and Jack Roslovic both had three point performances, which is a lovely development that will surely just serve as a cruel way to build up our hope before the inevitable collapse later in the schedule. Morgan Rielly chipped in three assists while Anthony Stolarz stood on his head with thirty three saves to keep the lead intact. We even saw some old school grit when Zack MacEwen decided to pick a fight with Erik Gudbranson, earning himself an instigator penalty and a ten minute misconduct in the process. It was nice to see some life in the lineup, even if it meant spending an eternity in the penalty box.

Marshall Rifai even joined the party late with a slap shot goal to put the icing on a very confusing cake. We survived eight Columbus power plays without giving up a single goal, which is a miracle that probably used up our entire defensive luck for the next calendar year. While it is tempting to think this team has finally figured out how to win games on the road, let us all remember who we are talking about here. Take the win, keep your expectations in the basement, and try not to look too closely at the fact that we only had two shots in the entire third period.