Before the game even started, the matchup between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Colorado Avalanche looked like a showdown between two elite franchises.
Before the game, the Canadian franchise received a warning about star forward Nathan MacKinnon, as Avalanche analyst John Michael Liles appeared on a recent edition of Leafs Morning Take and said MacKinnon looks even more explosive than last season.
Those warnings proved right: MacKinnon tied the game after Toronto took a 1-0 lead and later gave Colorado a brief lead with his second goal.
What Did Analyst Warn the Maple Leafs About Nathan MacKinnon Before the Avalanche Game?
Michael-Liles said, “It’s awesome. Listen, Nathan is who he is, and what I’ll say is, like, Nathan, day one of training camp came in, and he was, you know, when he scored, he’s cheering, he’s high-fiving guys. So it’s not all miserable in terms of, you know, the outward appearance. I think he just, he’s intense, and, you know, like that’s just kind of how he is.”
“Like you go back to Game 1 against L.A. It was a national game, but, you know, we were there watching, and, I mean, like he was physical. He threw some big hits. I think that, for as devastating as playoff losses are, Nathan probably takes them even harder than anybody else.”
“And don’t get me wrong, I took it as hard as anybody, and some guys just take it harder. And Nathan wants to win. First and foremost, he wants to win. And so that playoff loss – you breeze through the first two rounds, for lack of a better word.”
“That Minnesota series was definitely closer than five games, but you get through the first two rounds in nine games, and all of a sudden Vegas sweeps you. Like that’s a really tough playoff loss, and I’m sure Nathan took it harder.”
“He’s 31 years old. He doesn’t seem to be slowing down. And I said to, you know, the strength coach for the Avs the other day at practice, I said, I don’t know if it’s possible, but he looks almost more explosive than last year, which is crazy.”
William Nylander Brought the Maple Leafs Back to Life
Regardless, after MacKinnon’s second goal, William Nylander brought the Maple Leafs back to life, scoring the second to tie the game in the second period.
Toronto’s joy would be short-lived, as Brock Nelson scored Colorado’s third goal at 12:24 of the second period.
As of the time of writing, the game is still ongoing, with just over five minutes remaining in the second period.
Nathan MacKinnon Warnings to Maple Leafs Proven Absolutely Right