Easton Cowan flips the script and goes after Nikita Zadorov following the regret of the Auston Matthews injury
Photo credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Easton Cowan showed a lot of fury toward Nikita Zadorov after he boarded John Tavares, trying to repent for not sticking up for Auston Matthews after he went down.
The Toronto Maple Leafs did something they weren't meant to do on Tuesday night and they beat the Boston Bruins. While normally that would be a huge win for the team, it basically handed them a better chance of taking Toronto's top-five pick.
With a 4-2 victory off the back of a two-goal night from Matthew Knies, the Maple Leafs came away with a moral victory even if it doesn't reflect in the standings.
It was a heated affair from the get go but things picked up when defenceman Nikita Zadorov ended up nailing John Tavares hard into the boards. Tavares was shaken up but it was the 20-year-old Easton Cowan who decided to step in.
Easton Cowan learned then and way after Auston Matthews incident
With a good seven inches and 65 pounds lighter, Cowan was really not too concerned with the tale of the tape and immediately took it to Zadorov:
It's a huge undertaking for Cowan, both figuratively and literally. He's always been a scrappy player but to go up against someone who is effectively two weight classes higher is a little bit crazy.
For the 'Cowboy' though, he wanted to wrangle the bull by any means necessary especially after Auston Matthews' injury where he didn't do something until it was too late:
I wish I did something. And that's on me. I got to step in there, stick up for my teammates. So, I'll learn from that.
Learn he did. Tavares may not be wearing the 'C' right now, but he's playing the role while Matthews is gone and to see Cowan come up is a massive brownie point for the rookie.
According to Cowan as well - he kind of just went a little bit primal without really any thought:
I think you just kinda black out. And, you know, go for it.
Tavares also commended the rookie for sticking up for him as well:
I appreciated it. I bet he's feeling pretty tall right now. He plays with a lot of emotion. You can feel his excitement on a daily basis just getting up & getting to play & compete. I remember being in those shoes so it's invigorating. I think the world of him
Why the response to Nikita Zadorov's hit proves the culture could be changing
Dakota Joshua also gave Zadorov a piece of his mind when the two scrapped later on in the game. It's also not the first time that Zadorov has drawn the ire of the Maple Leafs, as he also targeted Auston Matthews earlier on this season.
For Cowan it was a quiet night as he went pointless with two PIM, but did have two hits and showed unrelenting fire. It's something Craig Berube is no doubt going to appreciate and it could lead to Cowan getting more calls in the future.
Toronto ended up outshooting Boston 35-20, which is a rarity nowadays and shows that the Maple Leafs were playing with a lot more fire; something that they had struggled with all year.
It felt like the time for standing idly by is over for the Maple Leafs, and if they are going to be going down this year then they sure as hell aren't going down without a fight (literally).
Easton Cowan ended up coming into the game on the first line but ended up playing like a veteran enforcer. It's a perfect addition to his game and something we may see more of - especially if he enjoyed a taste of the fracas in Beantown.
Also read on Hockey Patrol :
Radko Gudas is immediately in trouble with Joel Quenneville after return from Auston Matthews suspension
Radko Gudas is immediately in trouble with Joel Quenneville after return from Auston Matthews suspension
Previously on Hockey Patrol
| POLL | ||
MARS 24|1402 ANSWERS Easton Cowan flips the script and goes after Nikita Zadorov following the regret of the Auston Matthews injury Does Easton Cowan need to learn to start fighting more for the Maple Leafs? | ||
| Yes | 469 | 33.5 % |
| No | 933 | 66.5 % |
| List of polls | ||