Mitch Marner sounds off on finally ending lengthy goal slump

To say that it's been a difficult beginning to the season for Toronto Maple Leafs start forward Mitch Marner would be a severe understatement. 

Prior to this past Saturday night against the Detroit Red Wings at Scotiabank Arena, Marner had endured a 16 game scoring drought dating back to last year's playoffs. Oh, and he took a stick to the face last week against the Carolina Hurricanes, resulting in a lost tooth. 

He finally lit the lamp this weekend, taking advantage of a miscommunication between Red Wings goaltender Thomas Greiss and defenseman Nick Leddy. His late 3rd period tally would prove to be the winning goal, as the Red Wings refused to quit and made things interesting right to the final horn. 

For Marner, who made the decision to delete his social media over the summer, he needed to just get back to having fun playing the game that he's compensated quite handsomely for. 

"I just realized I got to stop worrying about everything," the 24-year-old said, "just go out there and play hockey, do the thing I love, and have fun with the puck."

"It's about having more confidence with the puck," said Marner, "making more plays with it when it's in my hand, but also the right play. I just feel like I've been doing that a lot better in the last couple games."

And while his goal certainly wasn't of the highlight reel variety, it certainly can go a long way in boosting his confidence. 

"Even though it is not the type of goal that you are visualizing going into a game, once it happens, all of a sudden you are not pressing as much," said head coach Sheldon Keefe. "You are not looking at a zero sitting in the goal column. All of those things matter. As much as you try to focus on other things, it is natural when you have produced your entire life and you are counted on to produce for your team now, you think about it." 

"That's kind of a gritty goal," Marner said. "Just forechecking and not getting off script there, doing our forecheck thing how we want to pressure guys, and trying to read the play."

The Leafs will look to continue their winning ways tonight when they host the Vegas Golden Knights.