Some next-day thoughts:
– After ending a 12-year slump of failing to make the playoffs in a full 82-game season on the back of never-before-seen offensive contributions from their historic rookie class, there was one itch left to scratch still holding over from last year: The 14-game losing streak to the Canadiens. Adieu.
– With the benefit of last change, Claude Julien matched the Jonathan Drouin and Max Pacioretty line up against the JVR – Bozak – Marner unit consistently, and the results weren’t pretty for the Leafs: They gave up two goals and were outshot 6-1 during Bozak and Drouin’s 7:45 of head-to-head time at even strength.