Morgan Rielly goes viral for a hilarious dive that won the Toronto Maple Leafs the game
Photo credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly put his body on the line against the Philadelphia Flyers, although the footage has been the subject of ridicule.
Morgan Rielly is one of the most criticized players on the Toronto Maple Leafs, and at times, it is for very good reasons. He makes some big mistakes, and he has cost the Leafs some games this season.
However, there are some instances where you remember why Rielly is so highly valued by the franchise. We saw this play out on Thursday night as the Leafs took on the Vancouver Canucks.
Morgan Rielly puts his body on the line
During the overtime period, there was a play in front of the net where the cage was wide open, and it would have been an easy tap-in for the Flyers forward.
Rielly saw this, contorted his body, and dove across the net so that there would be absolutely no chance of the puck getting past goaltender Dennis Hildeby.
Immediately after this heroic play, John Tavares and Easton Cowan went up the ice and scored a beauty to end the game and give the Maple Leafs the win.
Had it not been for Rielly and this play, there is a very good chance that the Maple Leafs wouldn't have been able to pull out the win.
Fans react to the play
While Rielly's play was heroic, it also looked absolutely hilarious and kind of goofy on television, which led to some strong reactions on social media.
Below, you will find people who were laughing and praising Rielly in the very same breath, which is something you absolutely love to see.
At the end of the day, Rielly is a dog, and he wants to take the Leafs to the promised land, which is more than you can say of some guys who have walked through the organization.
The Leafs are now one point out of the Wild Card race, and if they keep playing like this, they might just end up in a playoff spot by Monday.
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JANVIER 9 | 231 ANSWERS Morgan Rielly goes viral for a hilarious dive that won the Toronto Maple Leafs the game Do you believe Morgan Rielly should stay on the Toronto Maple Leafs? | ||
| YES | 91 | 39.4 % |
| NO | 140 | 60.6 % |
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