‘Fired up’ Giordano leads Maple Leafs response as things begin to go right

Giordano, full of energy, leads the Maple Leafs’ strong response as they start to turn things around.

The oldest player in the NHL didn’t even pause to think about the three inches, four pounds, and 13 years that Dakota Joshua had on him.

Upon witnessing his teammate David Kämpf being flattened by a tough open-ice hit, Giordano understood the task at hand. It was clear that action needed to be taken.

In defense of his teammate, the 40-year-old worker earning minimum wage began to punch the younger, stronger man.

Giordano of the Maple Leafs and Joshua of the Canucks duke it out after a significant blow to Kampf.

This is exactly the kind of old-fashioned reaction that makes Toronto Maple Leafs players so beloved in this city.

Giordano expressed, “I get really fired up out there sometimes,” after the Leafs defeated the previously streaking Vancouver Canucks 5-2. You shouldn’t be the person who is always barking. Tonight, it was one of those moments when you see a teammate take a big hit and go down on the ice.

I headed over and thought, “Here we go again!” It felt good to get involved. It’s been a long time since I was in one. It also inspired me to keep going.

At times, you require something like this to kickstart yourself. After a few shifts of low energy, I finally got into the game. Despite sitting for about an hour afterwards, I felt energetic all night long.

There are certain prices that are worth the investment.

Indeed, the Canucks’ lethal power-play capitalized on Giordano’s instigator penalty, and they would do the same when Max Domi was serving one of his own.

However, Giordano’s passion ignited his fellow teammates and energized the typically quiet Scotiabank Arena, causing the crowd to rise to their feet and spontaneously begin chanting “GI-O!” without any prompts from the Jumbotron.

The feeling was amazing. Since being traded from Seattle, I have received nothing but strong support here. Let’s take a moment to appreciate that and then keep pushing ourselves to work hard in every shift. According to Giordano, I believe that the fans in Toronto appreciate that.

Sheldon Keefe, the coach for the defenceman, who is only three years older, described it as “banked karma”. Within the Maple Leafs headquarters, there’s been a sense of shame and reprimand for the times when teammates failed to support one another.

Certain punishments are worth enduring.

If you’re a competitor, you’re a competitor. He has a passion for the game. He has a strong affection for his teammates. He really enjoys competing. “That’s pretty much all there is to it,” said Keefe. That was the requirement of the game at that particular moment. He’s one of a kind. “He has given us everything he has, and tonight is a perfect demonstration of that.”

Fights erupted during the hockey game as well.

Saturday provided a prime illustration of numerous things starting to fall into place for the Maple Leafs.

Robertson commented that his centerman has a feisty attitude. It is really great to see him standing up for me.

Ilya Samsonov, who was last seen being pulled from the crease in Monday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, bounced back with a strong 31-save performance. He outplayed the red-hot Thatcher Demko and secured his first win since October. The opponents managed to keep the SBA visitors to less than four goals, something that hasn’t happened all season, as they were facing a team of 14.

Thanks to the skaters’ strong defensive play, Samsonov kept the opposition from scoring at even-strength and earned the team’s player-of-the-game belt from William Nylander for his outstanding performance.

Giordano commented that he seemed to be playing with a lot of confidence. It was awesome.

• Nylander continued to impress, adding to his point streak with a skillful goal around the crease. He showcased his usual highlight-reel moves, making it 15 games in a row with at least one point.

The fourth line had its most successful evening of the year, as Noah Gregor and Kämpf both found the back of the net, and callup Bobby McMann contributed with two assists.

Keefe’s decision to healthy-scratch Ryan Reaves (minus-11) coincided with the unexpected success of the often criticized bottom line.

Keefe stated, “We aim to provide him with the night to help clear his mind.” Regardless of whether the goals are within your control or not, they still accumulate as you continue to retrieve pucks from your net. This can definitely pose a challenge. Thus, the responsibility lies on him to clear his head.

It’s hard to imagine Reaves returning to the line-up soon after seeing how well McMann performed in his place.

Maple Leafs’ Gregor speaks on resilient win over Canucks: “We displayed a lot of character.”