Right from the opening faceoff, the odds were stacked against the Leafs’ lineup in this game as it primarily featured players who will be sent down to the Marlies in the next few days. They were up against a Red Wings lineup that included the majority of the established NHL talent that will be playing prominent roles in Detroit this season.
Despite the discrepancy in NHL talent on the rosters, the Leafs came out looking really good. The youthful energy and hunger featured throughout the lineup were evident early, leading to a quick strike to open the scoring.