Leafs Notes: Minten, Cowan factor in fiery win over Habs

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Three power play goals, big games from their best prospects, a fight and shootout win in their parent team’s rival rink helped spice up Saturday’s first fling for the Maple Leafs rookies.

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Fraser Minten scored the deciding goal in the tiebreaker at the Bell Centre in Montreal after Easton Cowan converted a few moments earlier in the 4-3 final. Both top picks from 2022 and ‘23, respectively, had also struck in regulation on the man advantage, as did free agent Braeden Kressler. Cowan one-timed a Minten drop pass on his goal, though there was some sloppiness by the Leafs and Montreal’s freshmen kept coming back and forced the usual 3-on-3 overtime aerobatics. Goalie Dennis Hildeby, after a shaky start, made some nice saves to keep the game alive.

Sensing the venue, Minten gave a little extra swagger pose to the crowd after his five-hole deke for the shootout winner. Centre Minten and Cowan continued to play with Nikita Grebenkin as their right winger, joined by Roni Hirvonen and defenceman Topi Niemela on the power play.

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In a rough start less than two minutes into the game, Montreal’s Florian Xhekaj, younger brother of Habs’ heavyweight Arber, dropped the gloves with OHLer Chas Sharpe. Toronto draft pick Noah Chadwick was slammed face-first into the crossbar soon after.

The Leafs are already without this year’s top pick, Oshawa defenceman Ben Danford, who suffered an upper body injury from friendly fire Thursday in a hard-hitting inter-squad scrimmage. He’ll also miss Sunday’s finale of this series, as main Leafs camp gets ready to open Wednesday.

KEEFE STARTS WITHOUT KEY D

Coach Sheldon Keefe’s inaugural season behind New Jersey’s bench will have to launch without defenceman Luke Hughes. An off-season shoulder injury will sideline the 21-year-old for six to eight weeks, though it will not require surgery.

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Keefe’s success in Toronto, including three 100 point seasons, allows him to start this year with the NHL’s second-best winning percentage of .607 to Rod Brind’Amour’s .615. New Toronto bench boss Craig Berube is at .517 after stops in St. Louis and Philadelphia, but has 281 overall wins to Keefe’s 212 and with his first Toronto win will pass Hall of Famer Lester Patrick for 58th in NHL history.

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TOPI WANTS TO BE TOPICAL

Niemela doesn’t want to be lost among the tall trees Toronto added on defence this summer. While Jani Hakanpaa (6-7), Chris Tanev (6-2) and Oliver Ekman-Larsson (6-2) came to town, Niemela, a third-round pick in 2020, comes into his second full season in North America at six feet and 34 assists in 84 total games with the Marlies. 

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“I was of course trying to get more power, get stronger, working on things such as shooting,” he said earlier this week. “I try to take the next step in my career. There is a lot of good defencemen and I’ll try hard to play with them and against them.”

Niemela worked out with Hakanpaa this past summer in their Finnish hometown Oulu in the northwest part of the country. Hakanpaa also played on the local Karpat club team before Niemela.

“He’s looking good, a big guy, but a pretty relaxed, quiet guy.”

A year living in Toronto has helped Niemela, too.

“Hockey is much bigger here than in Finland, good crowds and everything. We have a lot of people watching our games.”

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LOOSE LEAFS

While new Leafs such as Max Pacioretty and Hakanpaa have yet to speak to media, a few of the newcomers are expected to be introduced at Monday’s annual alumni golf tournament in Milton … Wayne Simmonds, who played for the hometown Leafs from 2020 to ’23, has returned to Philadelphia where he was stationed seven years in the new capacity of the Flyers’ hockey operations consultant and community relations ambassador … Defenceman Cade Webber practiced with the Leafs in last spring’s playoffs after signing a two-year ELC with them following graduation from Boston University. “It was kind of awkward walking to the games in a suit, going through Maple Leaf Square with all the fans and it’s like ‘who is this guy’. But it’s something special and shows how much this city cares about their team. There could be pressure, but pressure is exciting, you want to make a difference in this city. My ultimate goal is work on my game so that when the time comes, I’ll be ready.”

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