Toronto Maple Leafs' John Tavares tries to get a shot on Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy as Lightning's Erik Cernak defends during second period NHL hockey action in Toronto, on Tuesday, December 20, 2022.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
TORONTO – Michael Bunting scrapped and clawed to make the NHL full-time after toiling in the minors for parts of six seasons.
It was fitting the 100th point of his career came as part of a performance where his hard-nosed exploits were on full display.
The gritty winger scored Toronto’s first goal and was in the middle of the fray at seemingly every turn Tuesday in the Maple Leafs’ 4-1 victory over Tampa Bay.
Bunting was involved in plenty of action between the whistles – and afterwards on occasion – as the home side snapped the Lightning’s five-game winning streak.
“Took a little different path to make it to the NHL,” said Bunting, a fourth-round pick by Arizona in 2014. “I’m proud of my path and the way I got here.
“I had to keep grinding and keep believing in myself and it got me here. It’s been a great run and I want to keep this going.”
Auston Matthews had the other goal against Andrei Vasilevskiy for Toronto (20-7-6) before Pierre Engvall and William Nylander scored into the empty net. Matt Murray made 18 saves and Nylander added an assist.
“Important game,” Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said. “We were a little tentative early there in that third, but then we found our legs.”
Vladislav Namestnikov replied for Tampa (20-10-1), while Vasilevskiy stopped 36 shots as the Lightning lost in regulation for just the fourth time in their last 17 contests (13-4-0).
“I don’t know what part of the game they reinvented that had us perform like that,” Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said. “But note to self, don’t come to Toronto three days before the game.
“That was painfully evident, because we did not show up tonight.”
The Leafs were coming off regulation road defeats to the New York Rangers and Washington Capitals after collecting at least a point in 15 straight games (12-0-3) – one short of the all-time franchise mark.
Toronto led the Lightning 3-2 in the teams’ first-round playoff series last spring, but Tampa stayed alive in double overtime of Game 6 at home before also taking the clincher at Scotiabank Arena.
The two-time defending champion Lightning would make it all the way to their third straight Stanley Cup final before falling to Colorado.
Toronto, which lost 4-3 in OT in Tampa on Dec. 3, opened Tuesday’s scoring at 16:45 of the first when Bunting fired past Vasilevskiy’s blocker for his eighth goal of the season.
“Not everybody’s journey’s the same,” said Matthews, the first pick in the 2016 draft. “(Bunting) had to work his way up the ladder. Can’t say I’ve walked in his shoes. He has his own story.
“I’m happy for him. Hopefully he keeps the foot on the pedal.”
Vasilevskiy was sharp moments earlier on a Matthews break and made a couple saves on a delayed penalty before Bunting was involved in a scrum at the end of the period that saw him forcefully removed from the ice by linesman Dan Kelly.
Bunting played against Kelly when both were in the American Hockey League, but the former said there was no history between the two.
“Emotions just were high,” Bunting said. “It’s hockey and move on from it.”
Matthews eventually got the better of a screened Vasilevskiy 61 seconds into the middle period when he fired upstairs on a power play.
Murray, meanwhile, had almost nothing to do as the Leafs outshot Tampa 29-8 through 40 minutes.
Namestnikov buried his own rebound off a faceoff in the offensive zone for his second at 4:09 at of the third to make it 2-1.
But Murray and the Leafs held on late as the Lightning pushed before Engvall scored his sixth into an empty net and Nylander added his 19th for a 4-1 final on a night where Bunting demonstrated his value.
“A significant milestone, no doubt,” Keefe said of the 27-year-old’s 100th NHL point. “It’s all part of his story, but he’s an NHL player. He’s solidified himself. He’s a very important player to our team. I don’t look at it as overly significant because I’ve got lots of confidence he’s gonna get to 200.
“He’s got bigger things ahead.”
MOMENT OF SILENCE
The Leafs announced before puck drop that Vittorio Panza, the grandfather of defenceman Victor Mete, was one of five people killed in a weekend shooting in Vaughan, Ont.
Toronto and Tampa Bay observed a moment of silence for the victims.
SANDIN SIDELINED
Leafs defenceman Rasmus Sandin (neck) departed in the second period and didn’t return.
“More precautionary than anything,” Keefe said. “Need some time for things to settle to know exactly what’s happening and what his status might be.”
UP NEXT
Lightning: Visit the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday.
Leafs: Host the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 20, 2022.
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