Nick Robertson shines, Dennis Hildeby, James Reimer busy in Leaf loss

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Don’t tell those Maple Leafs hopefuls toiling Saturday in Detroit it was a meaningless game to wrap the exhibition schedule.

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Winger Nick Robertson flew out of the gate, created his own breakaway and though stopped, he later scored short-handed and buzzed the net consistently, playing 200-foot hockey in a 6-5 overtime loss.

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The battle for the No. 2 goaltending spot heated up when Dennis Hildeby had another strong half-game and James Reimer debuted on his professional tryout contract with a much busier evening against a hot Red Wings’ power play, facing 28 shots.

Marlies captain Logan Shaw had a goal, while three unlikely scorers helped stake the Leafs to a couple of leads. Michael Pezzetta, who didn’t get on the radar much in camp, beat John Gibson low on a breakaway. The fourth–line scrapper was blanked in 25 NHL games last season in Montreal.

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Less than a minute later, Alex Nylander kept the puck on a 2-on-1 and William’s little bro fired it over Gibson’s shoulder. Cedric Pare answered Michael Brandsegg-Nygard’s second of the game 15 seconds later, assisted by Pezzetta. Pare, Pezzetta and Alex Nylander will all start with the Marlies, but their goals were at least a psychological boost.

Detroit scored four in all on Reimer with an extra man on the ice, including Albert Johansson’s with 30 seconds in regulation and Dylan Larkin’s second as the game winner on the power play. The Leafs’ exhibition record was 2-2-2.

ROBBING A SPOT?

A couple of days ago, the feeling was rookie Easton Cowan was a solid bet to start on the fourth line’s right side with centre Scott Laughton and Steven Lorentz, while Robertson was on the fringe.

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Then Laughton was scratched for a few weeks after a shot-block foot injury on Thursday, followed by Robertson’s showing on Saturday.

“I played my best game, with more desperation,” Robertson told media in Detroit.

Coach Craig Berube will have to find a new centre match for Cowan, knowing that Robertson has more experience moving around. Cowan was also in the lineup on Saturday, a team-high fifth appearance this autumn, perhaps an extra game because of Laughton’s absence or David Kampf needing to stay home while his waiver situation was clarified.

Cowan was in the penalty box when Brandsegg-Nygard recorded his second of the night, but Berube didn’t back off earlier comments that he looks NHL-bound.

“We have decisions to make, but I think he showed us enough that he is ready. He has a motor on him and a high IQ. He did a lot of good things tonight, maybe tried to do too much at times, but trying to do things he’s good at.”

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Cowan and Robertson got plenty of time together on an extended 5-on-3 power play, three straight penalties when Detroit cleared two pucks over the glass. Every Leaf on the ice was trying to feed Robertson for one of his rocket drives, but he fired wide.

On another penalty kill, not something Robertson’s known for, he got a stick on Larkin to prevent a goal before the Wings captain eventually made it 5-4 on a 6-on-3. The Michigan-raised Robertson started the 3-on-3 overtime.

HILDEBEAST OUT OF HIDING

Coming in with a .944 save percentage in parts of two games, Dennis Hildeby shook off a first-shot Detroit goal, rooted in disorganized coverage and helped defuse a Detroit power play, while making 12 saves in all.

Now, to stay on the roster ahead of the 37-year-old Reimer in the continuing absence of Joseph Woll for personal reasons.

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Trying to become Anthony Stolarz’s backup, Hildeby was further encouraged when general manager Brad Treliving said Reimer wouldn’t be prioritized if Hildeby proved he was big-league ready.

The 6-foot-7 Hildeby was a fourth-round pick in 2022 from Sweden, once considered on a can’t-miss path to the NHL after 41 games in his first full AHL season in 2023-24.

But he was lost in the shuffle last season as Stolarz and Woll were healthy enough to keep him to just six NHL games (3-3 with an .878 save percentage).

On the Marlies, they also utilized Matt Murray and newly arrived 2020 draft pick Artur Akhtyamov in 20-plus games as well.

REIM TIME

For the first time since 2016, Reimer suited up for the Leafs, just more than a week after he signed his PTO after Woll went home.

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He was into the game very quickly with the Wings in rally mode, stopping Larkin on a backhander. Reimer faced 26 shots and lots of crease traffic, while the calibre of Toronto’s lineup must have reminded him of those difficult years when the Leafs made the playoffs only once in his tenure and were often overwhelmed.

“Fun to put that jersey on and get back to playing,” Reimer said. “I’m pretty happy with where my game is.”

But expect Hildeby behind Stolarz on Wednesday when the Leafs open against Montreal at Scotiabank Arena.

KEEPING KAMPF

A few hours before Saturday’s game, Kampf had relief of sorts. His $2.4 million US contract was not claimed on waivers, thus he’s still in the starting lineup picture for Wednesday, depending on how Berube decides how he’ll replace Laughton.

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Berube, who said a straight Kampf-for-Laughton switch was not a lock, had Max Domi in the middle on Saturday morning when the bulk of NHL Leafs practised at home. Domi was pulled from his first-line role with Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies, bumping Nicolas Roy to centre Dakota Joshua with Kampf on the right.

Matias Maccelli went back with Matthews and Knies where he started camp when Domi was hurt.

It’s all conjecture until Berube gets through a couple of more post-Laughton practices.

PLATE FULL OF WINGS

Saturday’s game against an expected significant number of Detroit’s NHLers will be the fourth meeting in 11 days between the clubs counting a regular season home and home during the Thanksgiving Weekend.

Detroit’s rebuild under GM Steve Yzerman has been slower than others in the league and the prospect of a 10th straight season out of the playoffs.

The early NHL schedule does them no favours, facing Montreal (albeit at home the night after Habs plays the Leafs) and home against Florida, Tampa Bay and Edmonton, then a long early November trip to California and Vegas.

Lhornby@postmedia.com

X: @sunhornby

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