Saskatchewan Roughriders and Toronto Maple Leafs Win

Saskatchewan Roughriders and Toronto Maple Leafs both won yesterday (November 28). Good day for sports fans.

Roughriders:

Cory Fajardo needs to play better. Throwing four picks was not good. If he makes stupid plays which could lead to things like this, for instance, Winnipeg is going to eat him alive. They weren't tops in the West for no reason.

Brett Lauther says he is the best kicker in the league. Getting the game winning field goal helped that. When need be, he needs to continue playing well. Don't just be lip service.

Maple Leafs:

It's been a month of winning on the road. Swept their California road trip. Seven wins on the road. 13-2 in their last 15 games. A record breaking November.  That put them in a tie for first overall in the NHL.

-Mitch Marner: He has been so consistent. He went a points streak earlier this season. 11 points including eight assists in five games. -William Nylander: Off to a good start. 9 goals, 12 assists for 21 points. A couple game winning goals.

-Johnny Toronto: 10 goals, 12 assists, 22 points. A number of tip ins. Being around the net has led to those.

-Auston Matthews: Even though his shot is not completely back (wristers for instance), he is adapting as seen against the Ducks with the tip in. Scoring in different ways will make him even more dangerous.

-Wayne Simmonds: Even though he isn't racking up points, he is contributing in other ways which makes a player valuable.

-Michael Bunting: Has worked out much better than Nick Ritchie. There were high hopes for both and you know the rest. 6 goals, 8 assists while Ritchie has a disappointing four assists. Bunting is getting to play on the top two lines. His overall play is an indication as to why that is.

To top it off, Jason Spezza played his 1200th NHL game.  Great milestone.  The following you see is pretty sick.

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With that being said, the Leafs are back at it on Wednesday (December 1) against the Jets. The Roughriders play the Blue Bombers on December 5th. A Grey Cup berth hangs in the balance. Let's hope the Riders work on things to make sure they're ready.

Top Lines Mainly Contributing for the Maple Leafs

Third and fourth lines as well as the defensive pairings are not doing much in the way of contributing and production.It can be said that the Toronto Maple Leafs have a great team.   If you look at the stats from the their five game winning streak, you'll see the first and second lines were doing most of the production.  The usual suspects such as John Tavares, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and Auston Matthews.

Tavares has been hot.  So has Marner.  Now if you break down the numbers in the last six games, Tavares got six goals and four assists for ten points.  Mitch Marner got 11 points in five games.  During that span he got three goals, eights assists. Auston Matthews got four goals, three assists.  William Nylander got three goals, three assists including the overtime winner against Tampa Bay.  Top guys on top lines doing everything.

Others need to step up. But when guys like Nick Richie hasn't impressed or produced, that's a problem.  In fact, he's been a bust.  He hasn't been what the Leafs have been looking for thus far.  If you compare him to other off season acquisitions, Michael Bunting had done far more.  He looked great in the preseason.  Now in the regular season, he has three goals, three assists thus far.  Richie on the other hand has one assist this season.  If they need someone to deal away, Richie is a likely ones.

Bunting has secured himself a spot on the first and second line while Richie is sucking wind on the fourth line.  It was a coo for Bunting to be on the first line with Matthews and Nylander on Monday (November 8) against the Los Angeles Kings.

The third and fourth lines need to step up.  Sure it's great you have Marner and Tavares being as hot as they are and Matthews finding his groove after his wrist injury.  But you can't rely on the first and second lines night in and night out.  Sure it would be nice if Matthews got between 30 and 50 goals a season, but that's not always going to happen.

Monday's game against the Kings was as if the Maple Leafs didn't show up.  The Kings played vastly better.  Johnathan Quick was sensational in net.  But the lone goal came from, surprise surprise, Johnny Toronto (John Tavares).  Not saying that's a bad thing, but it lends credence to the fact there aren't contributions all around.

Sheldon Keefe needs to switch up the lines and sit people out if things don't change on the third and fourth lines as well as defensive pairings.  Shake things up.  Send that message.  They need a fire lite under their asses and realize this is what could potentially happen.  Something's got to give. 

There is still a lot of season left to go.  Hopefully things turn around for the third and fourth lines, defensive pairings, and those outside of the core four.  Let's start with the Philadelphia Flyers tonight (November 10) and go from there.