Toronto Maple Leafs netminder Michael Hutchinson wasn't putting any extra pressure on himself Saturday despite being mired in a lengthy losing streak.
Hutchinson made 29 saves in a 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings to secure his first NHL win since January.
"This game, I tried not to overthink things and just relax and let the game come to me," Hutchinson said, according to TSN's Kristen Shilton. "I feel like I'm in a good headspace right now, so I came in relaxed, waiting for the game to come to me."
He added: "Once you do that, the team that we have, once we have a little momentum going, we're a tough team to stop."
Hutchinson had dropped six straight starts entering Saturday's contest, allowing four or more goals in each. The 29-year-old has split time between the Maple Leafs and the AHL's Toronto Marlies this season and admitted that the constant shuffle between teams hasn't been easy.
"It's a challenge. I think I was doing a good job about it," Hutchinson said. "Getting sent down is always difficult so then regaining and getting back into that good headspace is a process and you can't do it on your own."
The victory marked the first win for a Maple Leafs backup this season.
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