Koblar was Toronto’s best player throughout the contest, where he showed off a renewed commitment to puck battles, and his pace often gave Winnipeg fits during the game. Hayes Hundley opening the scoring for Toronto with a wrist shot from the point, after some good work from Koblar and Miroslav Holinka to establish the zone.
Hayes Hundley opens the scoring early!
Jacob Julien tied the game, but Vinny Borgesi quickly re-established the lead for the Maple Leafs. Borgesi flew through the zone, receiving a pass from Koblar and wired a wrist shot for a 2-1 advantage that Toronto carried into the first intermission.
Tinus Luc Koblar has been the clear standout for the Leafs’ prospects through the first period. Two assists, he’s been a lot more engaged in puck battles, and doing good work for his wingers as an outlet, and in the cycle. Vinny Borgesi has been great again, skating has popped.
Alexander Bilecki added Toronto’s third goal. Hundley maintained the zone, got the puck over to Holinka, whose shot hit Koblar in the skates. Bilecki picked up the loose puck and quickly fired it home for a 3-1 lead. Winnipeg’s Davis Burnside would cut into Toronto’s lead in the final minute of the second period, taking advantage of a misplayed puck from Bilecki.
Bravo Bilecki 😮💨
Nic Whitehead tipped a Noah Chadwick point shot to extend Toronto’s lead to 4-2, then Brody Pepoy flew through the zone and tucked home a backhand, for what stood as the game-winner. Winnipeg’s Lucas Wahlin and Kieran Walton added late goals, that were academic to the scoreline, then Toronto’s Harry Nansi notched an empty netter in the dying seconds of the game, to close out a 6-4 victory. Nansi was one of the Toronto’s best players throughout the weekend, and was promoted to a first-line left wing role alongside Koblar and Miroslav Holinka on Sunday.
It was a strong showing from the Maple Leafs’ forwards, where Koblar was the best player on the ice. Koblar evidently responded well to Steve Sullivan’s critique, following Saturday’s loss to the Senators.
“He is pushing hard. He wants to make the big club as much as he can,” Sullivan said of Koblar on Saturday night. “He knows he wants to stay. He also knows he might go back home to play, but he wants to stay here in North America and play with the Toronto Maple Leafs. As the game went on, he got a little tired, but hopefully he gets a good night’s sleep and gives us a good game tomorrow.”
Toronto’s training camp begins with the team’s annual golf tournament on Monday. It was a promising weekend for the prospects, where many players, including Koblar, will be expected to push for NHL roster spots as early as next fall.
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