Auston Matthews points to one change that's giving the Maple Leafs their swagger back
Photo credit: Toronto Maple Leafs - YouTube
Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews pointed to one critical change that the team has shown recently that's given them their swagger back on the ice.
As the Toronto Maple Leafs head into Thursday's game against Carolina, they are on a two-game win streak, bolstered by two straight complete efforts that is showing exactly what a Craig Berube-led team can do on the ice.
Playing physical, relentlessly hounding opponents and capitalizing on their chances, it's been a big turnaround from the team we saw only a couple of weeks ago; a group that looked far less sure of itself.
What's even more impressive is that they are doing it away from home considering they have a 4-7-0 record away from the cozy confines of the Scotiabank Arena.
But perhaps that's just what they needed according to team captain Auston Matthews.
What Auston Matthews really meant about the road trip changing everything
Speaking to reporters after Wednesday's practice, Matthews said that the team's road trip came at the perfect time, and he feels the momentum they gain now can carry over when they come back home.
Matthews stated:
I think it's always nice to kind of get out on the road. I don't think we've really had an opportunity to go on a road trip like this so far this season.
Like I said, you get a couple of big wins, and it's amazing what that does for your confidence. We just want to keep that momentum rolling.
Like I said, you get a couple of big wins, and it's amazing what that does for your confidence. We just want to keep that momentum rolling.
Strong wins in Pittsburgh and Florida sets them up to take on Carolina before heading home into a crucial game against Montreal on Saturday and starting off another homestand.
A win in Carolina would give them a huge boost in confidence, knowing they just handled both Pittsburgh and Florida on the road including a convincing win over the reigning Stanley Cup champions.
Why this 'road version' of the Leafs has to survive when they get back home
Simply put, the Maple Leafs can't afford to have a lacklustre effort when they head back home on Saturday, as it would put to waste everything they built up over their road trip.
Toronto has gone 3-2-0 on this road trip so far, with wins coming in Columbus, Pittsburgh, and Florida. Toronto's next group of road games comes in the middle of December with games in Washington, Nashville, and Dallas.
They'll need to capitalize on those road games just as much as they have on this trip, and use this stretch to turn a tough schedule into something manageable.
This next month will go a long way in shaping how Toronto approaches the rest of the season and what kind of moves they consider. A strong finish to this road swing could put them firmly back on the path they expected to be on in October.
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