Mitch Marner was the Leafs top player in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Bruins, and on Thursday night, he picked up right where he left off.
The 21-year-old right winger scored two goals, including a penalty shot after being hauled down on a short-handed breakaway, to help lift the Leafs to a 4-1 victory over the Bruins to take Game 1 in a rematch of last year's series.
Come post-game, Bruins head coach was asked to comment on Marner's performance and how the B's plan to attack him in hopes of shutting him down the rest of the series.
Cassidy went as far to bring Wayne Gretzky's name up when asked how exactly to contain the 21-year-old when he's creating space for himself with his elusiveness.
While Cassidy didn't literally compare him to the Great One, taking away Marner's space will be a major part of the defensive scheme going forward based on Game 1's result.
Marner now has 15 career playoff points in 14 games stemming over the past three seasons.