Sometimes, an NHL team needs their goaltender to be the best player on the ice. For Detroit Red Wings goaltender Cam Talbot, that was exactly the case on Monday afternoon against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Talbot backstopped the Red Wings to their second consecutive victory over the Maple Leafs with a spectacular 38-save performance, singlehandedly keeping Detroit alive in their contest that saw Toronto largely dominate play.
By the time everything was said and done, the Maple Leafs had a 40-15 advantage in shots, but it was the Red Wings who secured the two points in the standings thanks to a 3-2 final score.
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“I felt good from the get-go,” Talbot explained of his performance. “Made a couple big stops early and confidence grows, especially after last game. I’m just trying to make the saves I’m supposed to make and give our team a chance to win. I feel like I was able to do that tonight.”
Talbot made 20 saves on the 23 shots he faced as part of Detroit’s 6-3 victory over the Maple Leafs at Little Caesars Arena on Saturday evening, which was his first start of the new campaign.
He likely earned himself another start with his clutch play in both games.
The Red Wings struck first thanks to a first period power-play goal from Dylan Larkin, and later increased that lead to 2-0 in the third period thanks to a strong power move to the net by first-year Detroit forward James van Riemsdyk, who was making his Red Wings debut.
While the Maple Leafs managed to pull even with goals from Matthew Knies and Calle Jarnkrok, the Red Wings stunned the crowd at Scotiabank Arena with the game-winner from another first-year Red Wings forward, Mason Appleton, with just 45 seconds left in regulation.
It was Appleton who took teammate Lucas Raymond’s spot on the top line after the latter departed the contest following a heavy hit into the boards from Toronto’s Chris Tanev.
“That’s A Good Sign”: Red Wings Find Positives In Win Despite Being Outshot
Getting outshot by a 40-15 margin and constantly getting hemmed into their defensive zone wasn’t the strategy for the <a href=”https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings”>Detroit Red Wings </a>on Monday afternoon, and yet things still worked out for them thanks to a superhuman performance from goaltender Cam Talbot.
Talbot highlighted how other Detroit players stepped up in the absence of Raymond, which, combined with his 38 saves, resulted in Detroit’s victory.
“We’ve put together a couple good ones here, and we knew this was going to be a tough one and that we were going to need everybody,” Talbot said. “You lose Ray at some point during the game, and other guys have to step up.
“You throw Apps on that top line, and he buries a big one for us with 45 seconds left. That’s how good teams win hockey games, and we had contributions from everyone tonight.”
“We gave up a two-goal lead and didn’t quit. It didn’t look like we were real polished, but we didn’t quit. That’s a good sign.”
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