Mitch Marner more focused on team success than reaching 100-point mark

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner had a strong showing against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday.

Aside from Matthew Knies, who recorded his second career hat-trick, Marner was arguably the Leafs’ best player with a goal and two assists on the night. It was the kind of showing the team needed from one of their core four players to right the wrongs of a disappointing effort against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday.

Marner credited his team sticking to the game plan despite the penalty trouble as the key to a crucial victory for the Atlantic Division race.

“It’s two hard back-to-back games, two very top-end teams in this league,” he said to reporters after the game. “I was very happy with our effort tonight, I thought everyone brought it.”

Marner’s fingerprints were all over this one, playing with authority in the offensive end and creating magic to set up his teammates. It was the 66th multi-point game of his career, surpassing Mats Sundin for second in franchise history behind only Darryl Sittler who had 90.

His efforts may have been for naught had Anthony Stolarz not come up clutch in overtime with a key breakaway stop on Brayden Point.

“ Unbelievable. First shot in overtime is a breakaway against really one of the best goal scorers in probably in our league,” Marner said of the save. “That was a massive save to keep that game going. Couple of big ones on two-on-ones as well. He’s been a brick for us all year, and like a lot of guys have talked about he’s been a lot of fun to be around this locker room and he’s very talkative on the ice which is great as well.”

His three-point performance also brought his season total to 97, bringing him within three points of his first career 100-point campaign. Only four games remain in the regular season, so there isn’t a lot of time left for him to get it over the line, but Marner certainly has it in him to get the points he needs to get it over the line.

But if you were to ask the man himself, his focus is more on helping the team win games than on individual accolades.

“I don’t know. I feel like you guys asked me this last year or something. I really don’t care in a way,” Marner said. “We just want to win games and try to get first in our division. If it happens, it happens, that’s great.  But I’m just trying to go out there and win hockey games and do what we do out there.”

Marner may not be too concerned about whether or not he reaches the century mark in scoring, but his teammates are certainly rooting for him to do so.

“It’s incredible to go to 100 points. That’s really cool. It would be awesome to be a part of it,” Knies said. “I’m going to try my best to get him there. But he’s handled himself like a professional on and off the ice. I think he’s been a great teammate and someone the guys love to be around. So it would be a huge milestone for him, and I think everyone would be really happy for him.”

Regardless of whether or not he hits the milestone for the first time in his career, one thing that is for certain is that he will be playing a pivotal role for the Leafs in the playoffs. It goes without saying how far they go will depend largely on how he does, but performances like Wednesday’s demonstrate that he has what it takes to elevate his game when it matters.

“I think he’s handling it pretty well,” head coach Craig Berube said. “You just gotta make sure that you’re going out there shift to shift and doing what’s best for the team. That’s the bottom line. And I get he’s close to 100. We got guys that are close to certain things, but just do what’s best for the team.”

Marner’s first chance at reaching 100 points will come on Saturday when he and the Leafs take on the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday.