Domi, Knies admittedly fired up after 5'10 Leafs teammate gets his hands dirty in win over Senators
Photo credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Leafs defenseman Troy Stecher was a participant in the big end-of-game scrum against the Senators, and Max Domi and Matthew Knies were quick to applaud him for bringing the energy and hyping up the crowd afterward.
Last night's 7-5 victory over the Ottawa Senators was a statement game for the Maple Leafs. Heading into the Christmas break with a 6-3 win over the Penguins, the team following that up by scoring 7 on the Sens may be a sign of the offense heating up at just the right time.
Throughout a lot of the worst stretches this season, the Leafs stuck together and expressed their belief in one another, refusing to point any fingers. Now, it appears as though they're beginning to break through and find some offensive chemistry.
After scoring a touchdown on the Senators, the Leafs found themselves in a routine Battle of Ontario scrum to close out the game. At the centre of it all was 5'10 Troy Stecher, displaying some bulldog-like behaviour, grabbing Dylan Cozens and dragging him to the ice after a little chop from the Sens forward.
All 5 players from each team were involved, and even Joseph Woll got involved, pulling Sens players out of the scrum with Stecher still mixing it in the middle of the pile. After the referees broke the play up, Stecher amped up the building by motioning to the fans to make some noise. It was a fiery moment following a big win.
Stecher's gesture to the crowd also hyped up his Maple Leafs teammates
Following the game, both Max Domi and Matthew Knies made it a point to pump Stecher's tires for getting his hands dirty and getting the crowd into it, also noting just how important the veteran defenseman has been to the team since being claimed off of waivers.
"How awesome was that? Stech is the man. Honestly one of the most competitive men I've ever played with. That scrum at the end, with the division we're in, he's in there mixing it up. It's emotional, it's what you want." - Domi on Stecher
"That fires me up. He's been a hell of a player for us, and he's come in and done a fantastic job, so we're happy to have him here." - Knies on Stecher
Stecher may very well have stolen a full-time job in Toronto, even after Brandon Carlo returns. The veteran Carlo has resumed skating following foot surgery, but at this moment, there is no timeline for a return.
Stecher has earned the trust of head coach Craig Berube, and has even slotted in over Simon Benoit, who was among the healthy scratches for this one. Once Carlo returns, it's likely that Philippe Myers is the player who comes out of the lineup.
We're coming to the point now where it's not a matter of if, but when Stecher receives an extension offer from the Leafs. If he continues the way he's going, he'll certainly be deserving of a commitment from the team to continue the partnership beyond this season.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 28 | 516 ANSWERS Domi, Knies admittedly fired up after 5'10 Leafs teammate gets his hands dirty in win over Senators Do you think Troy Stecher deserves an extension with the Leafs? | ||
| Yes | 437 | 84.7 % |
| No | 24 | 4.7 % |
| Maybe | 55 | 10.7 % |
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