Bobby McMann Hints at Possible Equipment Change After Recent Comments
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Bobby McMann had to make a temporary equipment change on Saturday but it led to a highlight reel goal, and he thinks he may need to make the adjustment full-time.
It wasn't the start the Toronto Maple Leafs wanted on Saturday night against the Montreal Canadiens after falling behind 3-0 in the first period. The team was sluggish, looked unable to spark any offense, and gave Joseph Woll no chance to breathe.
However, Bobby McMann decided to take matters into his own hands, but required some quick thinking to do so. Without a stick in the neutral zone, McMann quickly calculated which one to take and settled on Matthew Knies'.
What happened almost immediately after was a thing of beauty.
Bobby McMann May Make A Crucial Equipment Change
McMann's quick thinking and subsequent goal was the spark Toronto needed to pile on seven unanswered goals on the Canadiens and completely took over.
The breakout forward gave insight to his thinking that led to his goal:
"I saw a couple guy's sticks. One of Kniesy's, I thought that'd be the closest to (mine). Didn't really think about the white tape though. That's always a difference.
And then, it actually felt good. I went to battle with it and then the puck came around and felt like I had to bend over a little more. He's a little shorter. But then, I was like, 'I gotta rip this with his stick and see what happens.'"
And then, it actually felt good. I went to battle with it and then the puck came around and felt like I had to bend over a little more. He's a little shorter. But then, I was like, 'I gotta rip this with his stick and see what happens.'"
Rip it he did, as the shot registered just over 88MPH, and McMann's comments on tape color is intriguing, but there is something behind his thinking.
Although there's no true scientific basis for the reasoning, it's been a strategy used for decades by players. Black tape allows for the puck to look invisible on the stick blade, and can make a curved stick look a bit straighter allowing for a wilder shot.
But the white tape of Knies' stick is also advantageous as well, given that McMann can see the puck a bit easier in his peripheral and allow to see the puck leave his stick easier, but to also try and blend into the ice as best he can.
While it does ultimately come down to player preference, McMann clearly felt there was a difference and it's big enough that he might make the change permanently:
"A couple players thinking I should be using white tape from now on. I might need to use it in a couple of practices before I go at it (in a game)."
Even the captain himself thought what McMann did not only helped the team, but was an impressive feat in general:
"That was obviously a big goal by Bobby. He scored with Kniesy's stick.
Not an easy thing to do to pick up somebody's stick and put that one in."
Not an easy thing to do to pick up somebody's stick and put that one in."
His teammates and even head coach think that maybe a change will be give him an even bigger season than he already has.
McMann has 13 goals and seven assists in 39 games and is on pace to break the 20-goal mark for the first time in his career.
| POLL | ||
JANVIER 19 | 468 ANSWERS Bobby McMann Hints at Possible Equipment Change After Recent Comments Do you think Bobby McMann should make an equipment change? | ||
| Yes | 246 | 52.6 % |
| No | 222 | 47.4 % |
| List of polls | ||
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