Scott Laughton has dominating first period in Montreal, scores two goals

"More than any other veteran player on the Toronto Maple Leafs, Scott Laughton needs this preseason to go well. After being a trade deadline acquisition and then failing to meet the high-end price that the Leafs paid for him, Laughton is ready to put that behind him. And he did exactly that in the first period Thursday night against the Montreal Canadiens."

"After a quick change in possession, Laughton's linemate Bobby McMann received the pass cleanly in the neutral zone along the right side of the ice. The 29-year-old winger then drew in the Montreal defender just a perfect amount to then chip it up to a rushing Laughton who was able to easily get in the slot and put another one in the back of the Canadiens' net."

Scott Laughton urgently needed a strong preseason after a trade-deadline acquisition failed to meet expectations. He opened the scoring by taking advantage of a defender's misread, racing through the neutral zone, picking up the puck at the faceoff circle and sniping it past Samuel Montembeault. Minutes later he converted a quick counterattack after a clean neutral-zone pass from Bobby McMann, timing his rush into the slot and finishing again. The two-goal burst highlighted scoring skill and effective speed from a player typically used in a bottom-six role, providing a needed confidence boost.

Read at Editor In Leaf