Injury to Patrik Laine: the Maple Leafs' mission was clear according to Anthony Marcotte
From the start of the game between the Canadiens and the Maple Leafs on Saturday night, the Canadiens faced an opponent with a clear game plan.
Unfortunately, it was Patrik Laine and David Reinbacher who fell victim to this game plan from the Maple Leafs, and it was well summarized by Anthony Marcotte.
- Anthony Marcotte
We can add that Cédric Paré never really tried to separate the puck from the player with Patrik Laine. His intention was to hit him as well, although I don't believe he intended to injure him.
On Thursday night, Michael Pezzetta delivered a solid hit on John Tavares. Craig Berube didn't let that slide and acted with a much more robust game plan.
I'm not saying the goal was to injure Canadiens players, but asking players who are trying to prove themselves to hit anything that moves when the game is too fast can end badly, and that's exactly what happened.
In the case of Cédric Paré, who is an ECHL player, he wanted to do too much to stop Patrik Laine from getting through, but it was already too late. He was outmaneuvered.
His action, in the heat of the moment, is purely instinctive with the demands of his coach. There was no intention to injure, but that's what unfortunately happened.
Still, we can understand the new coach of the Maple Leafs. Without giving him credit, it has been over 50 years since there has been a championship in Toronto and the grit has not been present.
He wants to change the mentality there and give the team a fiercer identity, not a weak team.
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