Foligno’s debut, Campbell’s rebound help Leafs widen gap on Jets for first place

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Whatever bad habits have slid into the Maple Leafs game in this crazy NHL campaign, they’ve always rallied to protect their first-place seed.

And so it was on Thursday in Winnipeg, with the Jets taking yet another run at a Toronto team that had lost five straight. A Winnipeg win and another at MTS Place on Saturday would’ve brought the Jets even, with a game in hand, but with new toy Nick Foligno in the lineup and Jack Campbell overcoming mistakes by his defence, the Leafs emerged 5-3 winners. Foligno’s first Leafs point was an assist on Mitch Marner’s empty-netter.

Toronto will still leave town in first place, with its next eight game against fourth-place or lower clubs before finishing the schedule against the Jets on May 14.

“Nick in the lineup put some fire in our belly and we were ready to go,” said Campbell, who reversed a personal three-game losing streak on a busy 34-save night.

“(The five losses) were definitely weighing on us. We have a high standard in our dressing room and safe to say it wasn’t acceptable. But you do go through highs and lows and have to manage it. This will give us a ton of confidence going into (Saturday).”

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It was a wild start at Bell MTS Place with three of the first four shots going in and reigning Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck getting the quick hook.
Auston Matthews, with Foligno debuting on his left side in Zach Hyman’s absence, took a Marner pass and beat Hellebuyck short side. That was the league-leading 34th of the year for No. 34, his ninth to open a game and was quickly followed by Wayne Simmonds’ first in eight games on a backhander.

That Winnipeg tied it quickly was less to do with another shaky start by Campbell as it was own-zone turnovers by Toronto’s two most trusted blueline pairings. Jake Muzzin and Justin Holl allowed Mark Scheifele alone in front and then a pressured TJ Brodie tried passing to Morgan Rielly in front of Campbell, only to have it glance off Reilly’s stick and lead to an Andrew Copp tap in.

But on a delayed penalty, 1:33 later, Joe Thornton fired on Hellebuyck from long range with Jason Spezza tipping it in. So the 41-year-old Thornton didn’t become the oldest Leaf in franchise history to score as was first announced, and has gone weeks without a goal.

“You need to have those contributions every now and again,” coach Sheldon Keefe said. “That was Wayne’s best game in a long time and Joe’s played good hockey for a while. I know his offensive contributions haven’t been there, but Joe knows how to manage a game on the line. He’s making good decisions with the puck.”

Spezza’s goal was all for Hellebuyck after just six shots. Matthews set up Marner to put the Leafs up 4-2 in the second.

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“I think it says we’re resilient,” said Matthews of holding off Winnipeg again. “We were on a bit of a schneid and this is a big game against a team close to us when we’re trying to create separation.”

Foligno’s helper, with Marner retrieving the souvenir puck, was a perfect to end to an eventful 24 hours for the 1,001-game veteran. When the Leafs arrived on Wednesday from Vancouver, Foligno — out of a seven-day COVID-19 quarantine following his April 12 trade — was in the hotel meal room to greet them. For Zoom interviews before and after the game, he wore the 1993 Leafs hat his father Mike bequeathed him from that playoff run and was pumped to see his dad’s No 71 and nameplate at game time.

“Nice to get that one under my belt,” Foligno said. “I’ll remember the win the most. That’s why I came here. I know (Mike) was tuned in.”

With Hyman gone at least two weeks with a sprained MCL, Keefe thought Foligno would bring the forecheck element at Marner and Matthews need. He has not suited up for any other team but the Jackets since 2012, so naturally, it was different to put on Toronto gear.

“Just seeing the logo, that’s the tradition you go back to,” he said. “So many great players before me … You put that sweater on and feel like you’re carrying the sweater of a lot of guys before you and a lot of fans who cheer you on. It puts a little jump in your step.”

Foligno went to the family’s off-season home in Sudbury to isolate, where Mike could see him next door, but only wave.

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“He said play with passion. That’s what the Leafs fans love,” Nick said. “He’s just thrilled for this opportunity for me, just to play in the playoffs, let alone for the team I’m playing for. As a father, you want your kid to play in meaningful games.”

The Jets had a few days off to reflect on a 3-0 loss to Edmonton that tightened the race in the North. They had their own trade deadline newcomer, Jordie Benn, on defence for the first time and while Blake Wheeler returned from a concussion, Adam Lowry exited in the first when Galchenyuk unintentionally turned his shoulder into the Jets forward’s jaw.

Coach Paul Maurice agreed pre-game that these are two important dates against the Leafs, but noted that he won’t “weigh the results as too foretelling than when we meet a month from now (last game of the schedule)”.

lhornby@postmedia.com