"Reading between the lines, it has seemed from the outside like the player group - or some of the leaders in it, at least - might think the crowd should do more to stay on the team's side and help get them going in games, while the fans have (fairly) felt like the players need to give them more reasons to get fired up with their effort level on the ice."
"In the third period of this game, we heard/saw clear evidence that the Toronto crowd can be one of the best in the league when they see a hard-working, physically engaged on-ice product. The Matthew Knies vs. Nico Hischier fight will be the most memorable example of the team's physicality in this one, but it wasn't just about the one bout. The Leafs were battling, finishing checks, and getting in the shooting lanes throughout (Jake McCabe alone was credited with eight shot blocks)."
"Earlier in the third period, before the Knies fight, Simon Benoit took a run at Timo Meier. After the Knies fight, Robertson stood up Brendan Dillon as Dillon tried to throw a hit along the boards; Dillon responded by roughing up Robertson, to which Benoit stepped in, and when Dillon went to skate away, Nic Roy dropped Dillon to the ice."
Tensions between fans and players rose after Auston Matthews gestured to the home crowd following a goal against Chicago, reflecting mixed reactions to perceived fan behavior and player expectations. Some players or leaders appear to expect louder fan support, while fans expect stronger on-ice effort. In the third period, sustained physical engagement and finishing checks energized the Toronto crowd. Multiple altercations — including the Matthew Knies vs. Nico Hischier fight, Simon Benoit's run at Timo Meier, Robertson standing up Brendan Dillon, Nic Roy dropping Dillon, and Jake McCabe blocking eight shots — demonstrated commitment. Injured, shortened Leafs played hard for each other. Fans rewarded visible effort with vocal support.
Read at Maple Leafs Hotstove
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