"I know if we need a goal he's going to be out there without a doubt but in defensive situations where we have to protect a lead I want to see strong wall play, I want to see him in the right position, good sticks, all the things that are required to not necessarily be a penalty kill guy but to be someone that can play the last five minutes early in your career defending a 3-2 lead and I thought he earned that opportunity."
"Leonard had a strong overall game, firing two shots on goal, drawing his team-leading 13th penalty, and most importantly, registering the primary assist on Jakob Chychrun's game-winning goal. With just four minutes remaining in regulation, Leonard fired a pinpoint pass to Chychrun for a one-time blast that delivered the Capitals a lead over the Maple Leafs that they would not relinquish."
Ryan Leonard set a career-high single-game time on ice with 18:32 in the Washington Capitals' 4-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Head coach Spencer Carbery increased Leonard's late-game defensive responsibilities and monitors night-to-night performance to determine who earns those opportunities. Leonard recorded two shots on goal, drew his team-leading 13th penalty, and registered the primary assist on Jakob Chychrun's game-winning goal with a pinpoint pass four minutes from the end of regulation. Chychrun called the pass a high-end play. Carbery emphasized strong wall play, proper positioning, and stick work to protect late leads.
Read at RMNB
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]