The Toronto Maple Leafs wrapped up their two-game prospect series against the Montreal Canadiens in style. However, the victory was bittersweet as the Leafs saw standout Fraser Minten leave the ice due to injuries.
Minten, who had an incredible display in the first game of the series, left this afternoon’s game after taking a hard hit in the corner. The player was slow to get up and did not return to his usual spot alongside Easton Cowan on the penalty kill by the end of the period.
It was later disclosed that Minten did not return to the game due to precautionary reasons.
Rookie coach John Gruden stated that there’s no post-game update yet on Minten’s leg injury, but the team is optimistic that both Minten and defenseman Ben Danford, who sustained an upper-body injury, will be ready for the main camp back in Toronto this week.
Easton Cowan and Fraser Minten’s chemistry was off-the-charts
Cowan and Minten’s chemistry has been evident since the puck drop. After the first game Easton had some candid praise for his teammate.
“He’s a great 200-foot player, sees the ice well, and makes good plays. It helps when you can play with guys who can get you the puck like that,” Cowan said.
Minten’s absence was felt, but his earlier contributions to the series were noteworthy. In Game 1, he tallied 1 goal and 1 assist, scoring 2 points and even sealing the win with a shootout-winning goal. Fans praised his effort, calling his performance “underrated.”
“It’s awesome. It’s my favorite rink I’ve ever played in. The atmosphere was unbelievable,” Fraser Minten had remarked on his experience with the crowd.
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The Leafs ended up winning that game in a shootout, 4-3, after a tense overtime. Montreal managed one goal in the shootout, but the Leafs clinched the victory with Minten’s goal.
The final game ended 5-4, giving Toronto a clean sweep of the prospect series. Defenseman Topi Niemelä was another star of the weekend, collecting 5 assists over the two games.