TORONTO – The bus pulled up and the bigger picture came into view.
If there was any doubt about what the Centennial Classic meant to hockey fans in the Centre of the Hockey Universe, the Toronto Maple Leafs got a sneak peak of what was to come Sunday when they arrived nearly four hours before puck drop.
The tailgating had started early. The parking lot was dotted with blue and red sweaters. And people were pumped up.
"On the walk in, a bunch of fans were out there hooting and hollering," said Leafs winger Connor Brown. "We understand how big of a deal a game like this is halfway through the season – really it was just for two points (in the standings) – but how much it means to the city."
And the overwhelming feeling after a thrilling, 5-4 overtime victory for Toronto over Detroit?
Belief.
It’s back, and it’s been missing for some time.
It was Auston Matthews who froze the clock at 3:40 after eluding defenceman Danny Dekeyser and somehow backhanding the puck home while skating away from the net. The 19-year-old hit 20 goals in his 36th NHL game – something no one rookie has accomplished since Alex Ovechkin in 2005.
"To get a big goal like that, you don’t want to call it a storybook … but you may as well, right?" said Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly.
How’s this for a New Year’s Day present? Matthews earned his first rookie bonus of $212,500 with the 20th goal and is well on the way to maxing out on the full $2.85-million he can claim on his entry-level deal.
With parents Brian and Ema among the 40,148 in attendance and a national TV audience in two countries, it was the biggest stage he’d ever been on. It was also the first time the Scottsdale, Ariz., native had played a game outdoors.
"One of the best moments in hockey I’ve ever experienced for myself," said Matthews. "It’s pretty special. All 23 guys out there, we played a real solid game tonight … and when it’s a little bigger setting, a lot more fans, kind of that national stage, for us to come out and get that win was a pretty exciting game.
"I think people were on the edge of their seats there in the third period and overtime, so it was just really fun to experience this whole thing."
It more than made up for a dull opening 40 minutes. At one point it looked like Red Wings rookie goalie Jared Coreau, making just his fourth NHL appearance, was going to steal the show.
Out in the winter cold, there was some frustration brewing in the stands – at least until Leo Komarov set off a massive roar by tying it up a little more than a minute into the third period.
The enthusiasm went right to the Leafs’ legs and the goals started raining down. Mitch Marner, then Brown, then Matthews and it was 4-1. All three are rookies – Brown and Marner having grown up nearby – and they’re looking more comfortable by the day in the NHL.
The Red Wings were stunned. Coach Jeff Blashill called a timeout and addressed his players.
"Well, I just said we had played good for a lot of the game, and they just scored three goals in a real quick span, why can’t we?" he said. "Let’s just go back and get to playing."
It proved to be prescient.
The Red Wings started taking some chances and applying pressure. After narrowing the score to 4-3, they hemmed the Matthews line in the defensive zone for a full minute before Anthony Mantha scored with just over a second left.
Asked later about it being a statement-type of game, Brown quipped: "We almost sent the wrong kind of message."
What head coach Mike Babcock liked most was that they kept their nerve.
"At playoff time in the National Hockey League you’re either up one or down one," said Babcock. "It’s the same every night. You’ve got to love the duress. You’ve got to love the grind. You’ve got to love digging in and knowing you’re going to get it done, so that was a good opportunity for our team because we haven’t had those kind of opportunities."
It was the fifth straight win for the Leafs and put them within three points of Boston for third place in the Atlantic Division. It’s not by accident that Babcock referenced the playoffs.
On a stage like this one we got a clearer sense of a group that seems to be growing up together.
The organization made a point of bringing members of the alumni into the dressing room here to mix with the current team. Darcy Tucker mentioned that he knew the Leafs had something good going on when he saw how happy Matthews was after Nazem Kadri’s overtime winner in Tampa earlier this week.
"This is different than anything that I’ve gone through," said Rielly. "I think we have a great feeling going on in this room, we have lots of confidence with the people that we have here. We’re a closer group than I’ve ever seen.
"That might have to do with the age, that might have to do with guys being together for a bit longer. It’s a great feeling."
The Leafs had to walk across the concourse to get to their dressing room and hundreds of fans formed a sound tunnel that was deafening. Talk about a unique experience.
It was yet one more endorsement for the special feelings that inevitably accompany the NHL’s outdoor experience.
While the question is often asked about whether the bloom is off the rose with these events, the joy found around both teams over the weekend provided a pretty resounding "No." Babcock has been through three of these and says everyone loves being part of it.
"They’re one of the greatest gifts you can give your family," said Babcock.
It’s a pretty nice present for your fans as well.
