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He played in his third exhibition game Thursday, the only Leaf to dress for all three games this month.

鈥淚 like the way Cowan’s playing,鈥� Leafs coach Craig Berube said before Toronto’s 7-2 win in Montreal. 鈥淗e has very good instincts for the game, especially the offensive side of things. He’s a highly competitive player, so competitive on his stick, battling for pucks. And he skates well.

鈥淭here’s a lot of upside there, not only offensively. Good offensive players, most of the time, have the instincts to play good defence.鈥�

Cowan picked up an assist and had a plus-4 night playing with veterans Scott Laughton and Steven Lorentz. The line was almost unstoppable Thursday night, with Laughton scoring twice and adding two assists, and Lorentz also scoring twice and adding an assist.

鈥淣ice to give the confidence a little boost,鈥� Laughton told a TSN audience after a two-goal first period.

Though Laughton and Lorentz seem destined for fourth-line duty, it鈥檚 the 20-year-old Cowan who may just be impressive enough to make the team.

鈥淚 think everybody can see the growth that he’s made,鈥� Lorentz said. 鈥淭o be able to play on a line with him, obviously his skill sticks out more than anything. When he’s got the puck on his stick, that’s when he’s comfortable.

鈥淎nd you can tell the comfort is getting there even when he’s playing without the puck. That鈥檚 the sign of maturing as a professional.鈥�

Cowan has largely practised on the fourth line, but the Lorentz-Laughton-Cowan trio was the team鈥檚 first line Thursday. Montreal dressed what was close to an NHL lineup, giving the Leafs a chance to see what he could do against better players.

Leafs management could face a difficult decision. It will be no problem fitting Cowan in as far as the salary cap goes. But they would need to waive or trade a veteran such as David K盲mpf or Calle J盲rnkrok to create a spot for him.

Goalie Dennis Hildeby played the full game, allowing two power-play goals while facing just 13 shots. Bobby McMann, Matt Benning and Ryan Tverberg had the other Leafs goals.

Linemates

Max Domi, who started camp injured, is now getting his reps on the top line with Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies. Given his playmaking ability and his veteran status, Domi is the most likely candidate to replace the departed Mitch Marner.

鈥淗e can make a lot of plays and create space for us,鈥� Knies said. 鈥淗e’s a really hard-nosed player. Plays physical. Plays below the goal line. Can still make plays up top. He’s a good addition to our line.鈥�

Berube was cagey about whether Domi will get into his first pre-season game Saturday at home to Montreal.

Domi, goalie Anthony Stolarz, winger Nicolas Roy, goalie Joseph Woll (leave of absence) and defenceman Simon Benoit (upper body) have yet to play in an exhibition game.

Going back

Toronto-born winger Michael Pezzetta, whose career started in Montreal, dressed for the Leafs on Thursday night against his old team.

He was drafted by the Canadiens in 2016, and finally made the team in 2021. Pezzetta said he remembers having the last laugh on the experts who covered his first game, an exhibition game in 2021.

鈥淔inally got my first pre-season game and I scored two goals,鈥� said Pezzetta. 鈥淚 remember just how cool that was. And I remember them talking about it on the panel and being like, 鈥極h, cool experience for this kid. But he鈥檚 probably never going to make it.鈥� I ended up making it later that year. That was funny.鈥�

Pezzetta was sporting a shiner on his right eye, the result of a hit against Ottawa.

鈥淭he eye is good,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he first period of the last game, it split open. I sent a picture to all my buddies after and said hockey season has started.鈥�

What, me worry?

William Nylander was not present at Leafs practice Thursday. Berube called it a 鈥渕aintenance鈥� day and said there was nothing to worry about.

鈥淐amp stuff, a little banged up, that鈥檚 all,鈥� the coach said.

Benoit didn鈥檛 skate either after hitting the ice for the first time Wednesday.