Vegas' Mitch Marner thrives while Buffalo's Tage Thompson struggles in the 2nd round
Watching Mitch Marner from afar coaching other teams, John Tortorella saw a difference-making hockey player and heard all the criticism about a lack of playoff success and production. Now together with the Vegas Golden Knights, Tortorella does not see that weighing Marner down. “I don’t think it bothers him a lick,” Tortorella said.
“He just plays. ” After earning a reputation for shrinking this time of year over a nearly decade-long stint with Toronto that never included a run past the second round, Marner leads all scorers in the playoffs with 13 points and is tied for the most goals with six after his hat trick Friday night gave Vegas a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series against Anaheim. Over in the Eastern Conference, Buffalo's Tage Thompson struggling contributed to the Sabres losing to the Canadiens and evening up that matchup at one game apiece with play shifting to Montreal on Sunday.
Making his NHL postseason debut, Thompson said it's not anyone's business if he's injured and took responsibility for a bafflingly rough performance. “Trying to chase the game, try and force plays that aren’t there and just wasn’t executing,” Thompson said. “Everything I touched turned into disaster tonight, so tough one.
Got to be better. ” Thompson was a point-a-game performer through the first seven games of the playoffs, and coach Lindy Ruff chalked up Game 2 to frustration. Ruff expects a lot of his players to be better, including Thompson.
It's hard to be better than Marner was with four points in 23 minutes of ice time against the Ducks in Game 3. Linemate William Karlsson is getting a front-row seat to it — and hearing plenty of yelling when Marner wants the puck. “He’s very vocal out there, so he makes it easy for you,” Karlsson said.