Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Tallies goal and assist in win
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Bunting recorded a goal and an assist in Sunday's 5-1 victory over the Capitals.
Bunting got Toronto on the board with a power-play goal early in the second period. He'd add an assist later in the frame on a Morgan Rielly tally. The two-point effort snapped a four-game scoreless skid for Bunting. The 27-year-old winger is up to 15 goals and 20 assists through 51 games this season.
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Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Two-point effort Saturday
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Bunting scored a power-play goal and added an even-strength assist in Saturday's 4-3 loss to the Bruins.
With Auston Matthews back in the lineup and anchoring the top line, Bunting snapped a five-game point drought by banging home the game's opening goal early in the first period. He has three multi-point performances sandwiching his mini-slump, and as long as he's skating with Matthews, Bunting's always a threat for a big night. On the season, the 27-year-old has 14 goals and 31 points through 44 games.
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Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Three points against St. Louis
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Bunting scored two goals, one on the power play, and added an even-strength assist in Tuesday's 6-5 shootout loss to the Blues.
His second goal of the night was the one that forced OT, as Bunting scored the only tally of the third period on some tic-tac-toe passing by the Leafs with the man advantage. It's the 27-year-old's second three-point performance of the season, and over his last 17 games he's piled up an impressive nine goals and 19 points.
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Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Scores twice vs. Avalanche
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Bunting netted a pair of goals in a 6-2 win against Colorado on Saturday.
Bunting's first marker was scored on a Maple Leafs power play and proved to be the game-winner. The 27-year-old has contributed 11 goals and 26 points in 37 contests in 2022-23. He's been on quite the goal-scoring run lately, providing seven markers over his last nine games.
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Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Collects 100th point
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Bunting scored his eighth goal of the season in Tuesday's 4-1 win over the Lightning.
He went top shelf on Andrei Vasilevskiy with a one-timer from the high slot to open the scoring late in the first period, giving Bunting the 100th point of his NHL career in his 138th game. He's also found the scoresheet in 11 of the last 12 contests, posting four goals and 13 points over that stretch.
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Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Streak at 10 games, 12 points
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Bunting scored a goal in a 3-1 loss to the Rangers on Thursday.
It extended his streak to double digits (10 games) and 12 points (three goals, nine assists). Bunting popped in a rebound at 14:06 of the first to make the score 1-1. The streak is a nice bounceback for Bunting, who started this season slowly with just 10 points in his first 21 games. But despite the streak, it's worthwhile to note that he was skating with David Kampf on Thursday when he scored the goal, and that's not exactly the best fantasy match for the winger.
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Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Seven-game, nine-assist streak
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Bunting had two assists in a 5-0 win over the Kings on Thursday.
He set up William Nylander in the second and Auston Matthews in the third. Bunting has gone 11 games without a goal, but that's no reflection of his value. He's in the midst of a seven-game, nine-assist streak and has increased his season total to 19 points (four goals, 15 assists) in 28 games. Bunting isn't quite back to the 63-point pace he set last season, but he's getting close.
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Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Assist streak at six games
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Bunting posted an assist, three shots on goal and a plus-2 rating in Tuesday's 4-0 win over the Stars.
Bunting set up a Rasmus Sandin goal in the second period. The 27-year-old Bunting has seven assists during a six-game streak, and he's gone plus-9 in that span. For the season, the Ontario native is up to 17 points, 43 shots, 31 hits, a plus-12 rating and 36 PIM through 27 appearances. He continues to see a top-six role as a supporting part of the Maple Leafs' offense.
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Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Gets extra time in win
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Bunting was credited with an assist during Wednesday's 3-1 win over the visiting Sharks.
Bunting, who has earned at least one assist in four consecutive games, received 18:51 of ice time Wednesday, his most during 15 November outings. The 27-year-old left winger earned a secondary helper on Auston Matthews' game-opening marker. Bunting added two shots and two hits against the Sharks.
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Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Two apples in win
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Bunting picked up two assists in Saturday's 4-1 win over Pittsburgh.
One of those apples set up Auston Matthews for his 200th even-strength goal. Bunting made the play from his side after falling to the ice. The winger has three assists in his last two games, but needs to pick up the pace if he wants to come close to his 63-point career mark from last season.
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Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Three-point effort Tuesday
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Bunting scored two goals, including the game-winner, and added an assist in Tuesday's 5-2 victory over the Penguins.
The 27-year-old almost completed the hat trick with an empty-netter, but Bunting's shot from the Toronto blue line sailed just wide and William Nylander wound up firing home the puck after it caromed off the end boards. Bunting had just one assist over the prior 10 games, but a line shuffle by the Leafs seemed to spark his offense to life. On the season, he has four goals and nine points through 17 contests.
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Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: No points in four straight games
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Bunting failed to pick up a point Sunday in a 4-3 overtime loss to Anaheim.
It's his fourth consecutive game without a point, but he did have four shots. Bunting was a surprise fit with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner last season, but that magic hasn't continued. He's being shuffled around the lineup and needs to prove last season was based on skill, not opportunity.
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Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Secures empty-net goal
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Bunting notched his second goal of the season Saturday as the Maple Leafs defeated the Jets 4-1.
Bunting's empty-netter was his first goal since the Oct. 12 season opener. The 27-year-old left winger did not take regular top-line shifts. Bunting recorded 14:48 of ice time, well below the ice time totals of Auston Matthews (19:27) and Mitch Marner (19:17). Bunting established himself with a 23-goal campaign last season and should continue to flash fantasy value even as a part-time member of the top line.
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Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Two apples in win
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Bunting delivered two assists in a 3-2 overtime win Thursday over the Stars.
One came on the power play and the other at even strength. Bunting has four points (one goal and three assists) in five games after a 63-point (23 goals, 40 assists) rookie season. He's entrenched on a scoring line and will likely deliver similar totals as he did in 2021-22.
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Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Tough love from coach
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Bunting played 15:11 and delivered two hits Thursday in a 3-2 win over Washington.
Lesson learned, or so it seems. Bunting's ice time was up substantially Thursday night from Wednesday's 12:58 when Leafs' coach Sheldon Keefe benched Bunting in the second period. He had thrown a blind bank pass that was intercepted and turned into a goal, and also ended up in the box. Bunting is a strong fantasy performer but needs to focus and keep things simple in order to deliver for you.
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Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Nets team's first goal
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Bunting opened the scoring Wednesday, but the Maple Leafs dropped a 4-3 decision to the Canadiens.
Bunting, in his second season with the Maple Leafs, continues to supply top-tier scoring. The 2014 fourth-round draft pick collected 23 goals among 63 points last season, topping all rookies in scoring. Part of Bunting's role is to avoid a sophomore slump. He scored at 11:41 of the first period Wednesday off assists by Mitch Marner and T.J. Brodie. It was his only shot on goal.
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Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Untouchable on top line
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Bunting will start the season on the top line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, reports the Toronto Sun.
Both general manager Kyle Dubas and coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters Wednesday that Bunting is all but untouchable on the top line. Keefe spoke about looking at a lot of line options in camp, but when the season opens, it'll be Bunting on that top trio. He doesn't get power-play time, but he knows how to score and could come close to 60 points with this plum gig.
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Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Ready for Game 2
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Bunting (undisclosed) will return to the lineup for Wednesday's Game 2 versus the Lightning, Lance Hornby of The Toronto Sun reports.
Bunting missed Monday's Game 1 with an undisclosed issue, but he'll take the suspended Kyle Clifford's spot in the lineup for Wednesday's rematch, skating with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner on the top line against Tampa Bay. The 26-year-old winger racked up 23 goals, 63 points and 175 shots through 79 regular-season contests this year, so as long as he remains healthy, don't expect him to come out of the lineup anytime soon.
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Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Hoping to play in Game 2
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Bunting (undisclosed) is targeting a return for Wednesday's Game 2 matchup with Tampa Bay, Mark Masters of TSN.ca reports.
Bunting is far from a lock to get back into the lineup Wednesday but the fact that he was practicing in a first-line role Tuesday is certainly a step in the right direction. Prior to his four-game absence, the winger was stuck in a four-game goal drought during which he registered just six shots, though he did pick up a pair of helpers over that stretch.
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Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Unlikely to play Monday
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Bunting (undisclosed) is doubtful for Game 1 against the Lightning on Monday but he should return during the series, Mike Zeisberger of NHL.com reports.
Bunting missed the last three games of the regular season and he's expected to miss some time in the postseason as well. The 26-year-old racked up 23 goals and 63 points while averaging 15:33 of ice time in his first season with Toronto.
