The Leafs would ultimately go on to win this game on the back of a 32-save shutout from Ilya Samsonov, but it's another young name in the headlines after the game.
During the first period in which the Maple Leafs were outshot 16-4, Sheldon Keefe was talking to his team on the bench, when this small and easy to miss moment between he and Matthew Knies took place.
While he was being talked too, Knies simply looked away from his Head Coach in an act of disrespect, and he may have already felt the ramifications, as third-line winger Nick Robertson ended the game with more ice-time than Knies.
That may just be a coincidence given that Robertson played well down the stretch, but it's hard to ignore the potential correlation between the minutes and the moment of disrespect, and now a potential scratch could be a possibility.
Ultimately, Knies has played well this year, putting together 8 goals and 17 points in 44 games played, but if Keefe took notice of the small moment of disrespect, then there could be a punishment on the way.
As Read on Maple Leafs Daily - Leafs rookie disrespects his head coach and could be headed for the press box as a result
POLL | ||
JANVIER 25 | 2264 ANSWERS Maple Leafs' Matthew Knies on the verge of being scratched Would it be fair for the Maple Leafs to scratch Knies for this? | ||
Yes | 801 | 35.4 % |
No | 1463 | 64.6 % |
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