TORONTO — The Maple Leafs have conquered the north in 2021.
Now the real work begins.
Mitch Marner scored his 20th goal of the season Saturday as Toronto roared back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 and clinch first place in the North Division.
"It's a good feeling," Marner said. "We've got to make sure we just keep going with the pedal down."
The Leafs secured their first division crown since 2000 — and only the franchise's fourth since 1938 — in the NHL's grinding 56-game pandemic season that's featured strict health protocols, daily testing for COVID-19 and empty arenas across the league's seven markets on the one-time-only Canadian circuit because of border restrictions.