Reaves flexes on fans... despite the fact that his team lost

In case you missed it last night, Toronto Maple Leafs enforcer Ryan Reaves absolutely DUSTED Tampa Bay Lightning forward Tanner Jeannot in a very spirited bout.

Check it out:

Jeannot got the last laugh though as the Bolts managed to handle the Leafs pretty easily, winning 4-1 in Toronto. 

After the game though, Reaves was playing the role of his own hype man. Despite the fact that his team just lost to a divisional rival, Reaves couldn't help but pontificate on just how much better he personally has been playing lately.

"I think that month and a half that I was out, I used that as a mini training camp. I worked hard, I bagged, I worked on everything that I could. I was doing two or three a day sometimes, just trying to get confidence back," Reaves said following his team's 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday. "Confidence is a real thing, that's the first time I've probably gone through something like that in my career where I just felt like nothing was going right and I just felt like I had no confidence. I just used that opportunity to try and build it back. Coming off the break, it felt like my game started getting a little bit better and then I just kept building on it ever since."

What are you talking about, dude? Your team just got speed bagged and you're talking about your confidence?

"Compared to the beginning of the season, it's been night and day. It's what they've expected out of me the whole season." Reaves added. "I'm glad that that's clicking, I'm glad that the line's clicking, I'm playing more physical. We've had our chances in the offensive zone, Davie scored one last game. I'm happy with it, I'm going to keep building on it and hopefully bring that same energy into the playoffs."

I mean... I'm glad the guy feels he's playing well but you have to read the room a bit better sometimes.

In any case, head coach Sheldon Keefe seemed to like his enforcer's play as well.

"Tonight was by far and away the most physical he's been in terms of just being able to get there on time, make the contacts, that I thought really set a tone in the game," Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said of Reaves' game. "And then not just that, but we also got pucks back. And he's getting to the net front. That line's shooting pucks, like that line was a real highlight for us in that first period. 

"And Revo was leading the charge. So, that's terrific to see. I thought it wasn't just that. I just thought after the whistles, too, he was a really strong presence in the game. And then, obviously, you know, handles himself extremely well in the fight. So, you know, all those things, he certainly did his job tonight."

Is it just me or has this version of the Leafs absolutely forgotten their identity?

Read below for our report on last night's scrap, published yesterday evening.

Toronto Maple Leafs enforcer Ryan Reaves decided that the multiple fights between the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils at Madison Square Garden just weren't enough for one night of National Hockey League action. 

He dropped the gloves early in the third period of tonight's game at Scotiabank Arena against the visiting rival Tampa Bay Lightning against Tanner Jeannot, and it was obvious by the time the dust settled of who emerged victorious in this particular bout: 

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