TAMPA -- Matthew Knies admits the feeling was surreal.
Here he was, playing in a Stanley Cup Playoff overtime game for the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday, on the very same Amalie Arena ice where he and his University of Minnesota teammates lost 3-2 in overtime to Quinnipiac in the NCAA Frozen Four championship game exactly two weeks earlier.
The forward signed an entry-level contract with the Maple Leafs the day after the loss to Quinnipiac and played three regular-season games, when he had one assist. He's now played the past two games in the best-of-7 Eastern Conference First Round after replacing Michael Bunting, who was suspended three games for an illegal check to the head of Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak in Game 1.
"It's been pretty hectic honestly, on and off the bench," Knies said Sunday, a day after the Maple Leafs' 4-3 overtime victory against the Lightning. "It gets kind of chippy out there, so you've got to stay mentally focused, dial into the game, make sure you're playing your best and making sure the guys around you are playing good as well."
Selected by the Maple Leafs in the second round (No. 57) of the 2021 NHL Draft, Knies was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, given annually to the best men's player in NCAA hockey. He had 42 points (21 goals, 21 assists) in 40 games this season.
On Saturday, he recorded his first NHL playoff point, an assist on Noel Acciari's goal at 3:24 of the first period, and was plus-2 in 19:15 of ice-time to help the Maple Leafs take a 2-1 lead in the series. Game 4 is here Monday (TBS, CBC, SNE, SNO, SNP, TVAS, BSSUNX).
Knies was on the ice with Mitchell Marner, Auston Matthews and Ryan O'Reilly with the goalie pulled near the end of regulation and Toronto pressing for the tying goal, down 3-2 in Game 3. O'Reilly scored with 60 seconds remaining to force overtime.
That's a lot to take in for a 20-year-old rookie but he's handled it well thus far and credits O'Reilly for helping him to do exactly that.
"It's been a lot of fun," Knies said. "Obviously a veteran guy and I've learned a lot from him. He makes the game a lot easier for me, staying patient and how he plays the game. I think that's a good fit, especially me being a new guy. It's nice having a guy you can count on."
Knies admitted having butterflies, which is understandable.
"Obviously there were a lot of nerves going on in the game, especially in overtime," he said. "But I've got to stay composed and have confidence in myself. I think I learned a lot of that from those situations in Minnesota."
Coach Sheldon Keefe has been impressed thus far and had no issues turning to the kid when the Maple Leafs were pushing for the equalizer.
"He was in the mix to play that late in the game because of the way he's played," Keefe said. "He looks like a guy that can make a difference."
Bunting will be eligible to return for Game 5, leaving Keefe to decide who'll be the odd man out of the lineup. Knies will do all he can in Game 4 to soldify his spot.
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