Not a single Maple Leaf responded to the Radko Gudas hit on Auston Matthews
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
No Toronto Maple Leafs players had a reaction to Auston Matthews game ending injury against Anaheim, and the Leafs didn't make the Ducks pay for it.
Auston Matthews left the Leafs game Thursday and did not return against the Anaheim Ducks in the second period after a knee-on-knee collision with Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas, who was ejected.
What is gaining criticism besides the play by Gudas is the response, or lack thereof, from the rest of the Leafs to the injury to their captain.
"Auston Matthews took a knee-on-knee hit and his teammates watched
None of Auston Matthews teammates went after Radko Gudas after the hit on Matthews, and it got social media worked up.
Leafs fans were angered by the lack of physical intensity by Toronto on the showing, choosing to let the hit go by without any sort of retribution for the incident, laying low for the rest of the second period.
Non-Leafs fans expressed surprise at the team choosing not to go after the Ducks as retaliation, and letting them get away with an injury to their captain.
It was an incident that left deep criticism at the Leafs players for not seizing the moment, and getting one back on the Ducks for the loss of Matthews, and for Leafs fans, a humiliating one.
Michael Pezzetta was in the lineup and still no one answered the call
Physical presence Michael Pezzetta, who was called up earlier today by the Leafs and in the lineup, wasn't one of those to respond, sitting back like the rest of the roster when Matthews went down.
After beginning the game with a fight, Pezzetta showed he could be a spark, but didn't take the chance later on to avenge Matthews' loss.
Some of that blame can be given to Craig Berube, who barely gave Pezzetta any shifts in the lineup. In total, Pezzetta only played 3:43 of ice time.
If Berube had put Pezzetta back in after the Matthews incident, the Leafs may have put on that physical payback they felt they needed.
The question : Are you a club or are you a team?
As Anthony Stewart's father says, according to Jeff Marek, "Are you a club or are you a team"?" The Leafs answered that question tonight.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have a lot to answer for, specifically how they failed to show the necessary response to avenge Their downed captain.
Although Toronto finally showed life in the third period, including from rookie Easton Cowan, it was still a sign of weakness letting the second period run out without putting up a fight.
Having a rookie leading the fight for the Leafs is a question some of the veterans have to ask themselves why it wasn't them being the aggressor instead.
Morgan Rielly said he didn't realize how bad the injury to Matthews was until afterwards, and expressed regret he didn't do anything in response for what he called a "dirty hit", the Leafs longest tenured player acknowledging a failure in real time.
The Toronto Maple Leafs won 6-4 against Anaheim, but the lasting image from this game may not come from the final score, but instead a captain on his knees, with a team watching on having done nothing.
Also read on Hockey Patrol :
Auston Matthews scores first goal in 12 games, but exits after Radko Gudas knee-on-knee hit
Auston Matthews scores first goal in 12 games, but exits after Radko Gudas knee-on-knee hit
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MARS 12|1 ANSWERS Not a single Maple Leaf responded to the Radko Gudas hit on Auston Matthews Should the Leafs have retaliated to the Matthews incident earlier? | ||
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