Toronto Maple Leafs Mitch Marner second player from 2015 NHL Entry Draft Class to hit 400- point plateau

By Neil Becker

Forward Mitch Marner has successfully played his way into the record books.

Showing why he was so highly regarded at the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, Marner had a historical three-point performance at Climate Pledge Arena on Monday night during a 6-2 road win against the expansion Seattle Kraken.

What made this individual performance so special was that Marner’s second-period goal, which extended the lead to 4-1 was his 400^th career point. Marner, who now has 17 goals on the season became only the second player from that talented 2015 NHL entry-level draft class to hit the magical 400- point plateau. No surprise that the first player from that draft to hit 400 career points was Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid. Currently, McDavid has totaled 219 goals and 638 career points in 452 games played. Meanwhile, Marner who on Monday night also had two assists has 401 points in 392 games. In his past 11 games, Marner has now scored an unbelievable 22 points.

Meanwhile, continuing to build a case for himself in the Calder Trophy race is forward Michael Bunting who scored his 15^th goal against Seattle in what was a two-point performance.

Also having two-point games were teammates Auston Matthews and William Nylander who both drew two assists.

Toronto, who were looking to snap a two-game losing streak gained some early first-period momentum as forward Alex Kerfoot snapped a 12- game scoring drought. This came at the 3:56 mark when he slapped a high shot past Seattle’s goalie Philipp Grubauer’s blocker for his seventh of the season. Seattle would a little over five minutes later capitalize on a Leafs giveaway as right-winger Calle Jarnkrok scored his ninth which made it a brand- new game at 1-1. Showing strong resiliency, the Leafs took control with two more first-period goals from Bunting with his 15^th which came at the 11:06 mark followed almost three minutes later by forward Ondrej Kase who on the power play scored his 10^th of the season.

The Leafs second power-play goal came in the second period when Marner scored on a juicy rebound which not only gave him 400 points, but extended the lead to 4-1 where it stayed heading into the final 20 minutes of regulation.

Looking to generate some more goals, Toronto got two more in the third from forward David Kampf who scored his 6^th on a shorthanded effort, and defenceman Jake Muzzin who with less than two minutes remaining scored his second to round out the offense in what was a critical win.

The Leafs will face a big challenge on Thursday when at Scotiabank Arena the Leafs face-off at 7 p.m. against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

                                      SCORING SUMMARY              

            1^ST PERIOD                                                                 TOR VS. SEATTLE

            3:56 Alex Kerfoot (7)                                                       1    –    0

            John Tavares (28), Timothy Liljegren (8)

           9:05 Calle Jarnkrok (9)                                                     1  –      1

           Mason Appleton (8)

          11:06 Michael Bunting (15)                                                2   –      1                                   

           Auston Matthews (24), Mitch Marner (25)

          14:03 PPG- Ondrej Kase (10)                                             3   –     1

          Michael Bunting (17), Jason Spezza (8)

            2^nd. PERIOD                                                                TOR  VS.  SEATTLE

          9:15 PPG-Mitch Marner (17)                                             4   –        1

          William Nylander (27), Auston Matthews (25)

             3^rd PERIOD                                                                TOR  VS  SEATTLE

         3:37 SHG- David Kampf (6)                                               5    –      1  

           Mitch Marner (26)

        6:52 PPG- Jared McCann (20)                                            5    –       2

          Mark Giordano (15), Calle Jarnkrok (9)

        18:19 Jake Muzzin (2)                                                       6    –       2

         Timothy Liljegren (9), William Nylander (28)