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Who invited Karel Vejmelka to spoil the large Maple Leafs’ homecoming social gathering in Arizona?
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The Coyotes goaltender, normally pressured to work with the worst aim help within the NHL, wrecked the night for Auston Matthews, Michael Bunting and a variety of different Leafs with a 45-save night time advert a 2-1 win.
Ryan Dzingel’s second of the night time at 7:18 of the third interval was the winner for the severely under-staffed and 32d-place Coyotes, getting behind defenceman TJ Brodie, whereas goalie Petr Mrazek missed with a poke examine on the cross-ice cross from Nick Schmaltz.
Matthews, with a load of household and buddies within the sparse crowd at Gila River Area, had 5 pictures by quarter-hour of largely irritating ice time, earlier than hopping on a free puck and burying it 14 seconds into the third interval.
That set the membership file of 9 consecutive street video games with a aim, breaking a tie with Babe Dye, Frank Mahovlich and Daniel Marois, separated by a century. William Nylander was after profession level No. 300 and a number of other Leafs had spectacular scoring numbers, however the nearly unknown Vejmelka had different concepts.
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Matthews’ linemate Bunting was again the place his NHL profession was launched, however Vejmelka had his quantity a lot of the night time, too. Coach Sheldon Keefe was additionally working in entrance of particular company, his spouse being from Scottsdale, whereas this was the place his Leafs’ gig started in November of 2019 when he changed Mike Babcock.
Coming into this back-to-back Keefe had some gripes in regards to the Leafs’ consideration to element within the Vegas shootout win Tuesday and the extra time loss in Colorado.
“These issues can’t occur if you wish to deal with video games in opposition to good groups,” he mentioned. “(Arizona) is a sport we are able to’t overlook. We now have to be a bit of aggravated about how we’ve let leads get away from us, flip that aggravation into motivation.”
It was a novel goaltending match-up, Jack Campbell taking the night time off as one of many NHL’s greatest this 12 months, permitting the injury-plagued Petr Mrazek his first begin in a month, in opposition to Czech countryman. Mrazek’s greatest fear was inactivity because the Leafs had a 2-to-1 shot margin by 40 minutes.
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Matthews’ proud dad and mom have been in attendance, together with a few his mom’s kinfolk from Northern Mexico. Matthews mentioned earlier than the sport he’s getting a following from throughout the border.
“They like to observe rather a lot. Now, my little cousins have picked it up, they’re skating and stuff like that. It’s fairly cool. So far as their hockey information goes, I’m positive they’ve picked up rather a lot in the course of the years. They actually help me rather a lot, it positively means rather a lot to me.”
Bunting, after ending final season strongly for his draft workforce, took a free agent supply again to his GTA roots.
“It was a tricky determination as a result of I had been with the Coyotes for thus lengthy. Nevertheless it was too good to cross as much as be with my hometown workforce and residing out my dream as a child. It’s been an unbelievable expertise.”
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Bunting’s hockey ties to Arizona are strongest with the AHL Tucson Roadrunners, not only a city in a Beatles music.
“Tucson began hockey 5 years in the past and I used to be there the primary season. Town was nice, behind us from the get-go. Not many individuals knew a lot about hockey, however they jumped on board and supported us. Every year extra followers got here out. It’s now a hockey city, top-of-the-line within the AHL.”
The Leafs blitzed Vejmelka within the first with two early energy performs, however couldn’t money both, a nasty omen. When Travis Dermott hesitated making an attempt handy off to Timothy Liljegren, it was picked off and finally wound up behind Mrazek, credited to Dzingel on simply Arizona’s third shot.
lhornby@postmedia.com
