Article content material
4 wins in six video games now for coach Craig Berube’s Maple Leafs.
Commercial 2
Article content material
Within the 5-2 victory in opposition to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday night time at Scotiabank Area, the Leafs made brief work of star goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, chasing the veteran with 4 objectives on 14 photographs.
There was just a little extra to the Toronto victory than that.
Our takeaways:
STOLARZ THE MAN
Berube indicated on Monday morning that there was an opportunity that goaltender Joseph Woll might make his season debut on Tuesday night time in Columbus in opposition to the Blue Jackets.
Let’s be trustworthy: The Leafs haven’t missed Woll.
Not with the best way that Anthony Stolarz has executed his job in web, placing up a .938 save share in 5 video games as Woll has recovered from groin tightness.
Stolarz made 32 saves within the win in opposition to Tampa, none greater than when he pulled the puck off the objective line on Jake Guentzel’s try from the aspect of the online throughout a 5-on-3 Lightning energy play within the second interval. That got here after saves on one-timers by Brandon Hagel and Victor Hedman, and never lengthy earlier than Matthew Knies scored on a breakaway to provide the Leafs a four-goal lead.
Commercial 3
Article content material
“Benny (Simon Benoit) did a very good job of getting his stick, not permitting him to get that simple faucet in,” Stolarz stated. “And it’s desperation mode from there and attempt to maintain it out of the online.”
Stolarz acquired a standing ovation from the group, which was into the sport all night time.
RECOMMENDED VIDEO
We apologize, however this video has did not load.
“It swings momentum our approach,” Stolarz stated. “By the group moving into it, I feel it shattered them just a little bit and allowed us to kill it off.”
Later, a cheer of “The place is Stamkos” went up a number of occasions, in reference to the low season departure of captain Steven Stamkos to the Nashville Predators. It’s not like Leafs crowds to flex their verbal muscular tissues like that, and maybe it’s simply the beginning. Actually, it does no hurt for the house staff.
Your Noon Solar
Article content material
Commercial 4
Article content material
Stolarz didn’t let an own-goal by Benoit hassle him. It got here late within the first when Toronto had a 1-0 lead. After Stolarz made a save on Nick Paul, Benoit slid into the online and took the puck with him.
“You don’t even give it some thought,” Stolarz stated. “A part of the sport, it’s going to occur. Benny’s simply making an attempt to make an effort there. It’s simply a type of issues the place (stuff) occurs. As a goalie, you neglect it and simply fear in regards to the subsequent shot.”
In Stolarz, the Leafs shortly are studying that he’s going make it awfully troublesome for Woll to be the man. If Woll can get again to being the sort of efficient goalie he has been when wholesome, even higher. A one-two punch in web would swimsuit the teaching employees simply tremendous.
“I stated originally of the yr that each goalies are going to see extra web than they’ve prior to now,” Berube stated. “I’ll simply go away it at that.”
Commercial 5
Article content material
It has been fairly a pleasant run for Stolarz, beginning together with his play final season with the Florida Panthers, persevering with with the Stanley Cup victory and now his first few weeks with the Leafs.
“It has been a reasonably enjoyable 14 months,” Stolarz stated. “I simply attempt to stay within the second and attempt to take pleasure in every day. It’s a privilege to play on this league, and now we have such group right here that makes it lots of enjoyable to come back to the rink.
“Our mission is to do lots of huge issues this yr. I feel video games like tonight are a pleasant stepping stone the proper course.”
Depend on Stolarz having an even bigger say in that potential success than many people had been anticipating when he signed a two-year contract with the Leafs. He has by no means performed in additional than 28 video games in an NHL season. He might set a career-high in 2024-25 and the Leafs could be higher for it.
Commercial 6
Article content material
WILLIE WONDERFUL
A two-goal night time put William Nylander in a tie with Mitch Marner for the Leafs scoring lead with seven factors every.
The road of Max Domi between Nylander and Bobby McMann has been meshing properly, and keep in mind when Mike Babcock used to say Marner, then nonetheless a teen, might drive a line?
It’s similar factor with Nylander now, and has been for a number of seasons. Nylander was throughout it once more on Monday, main the Leafs with 11 shot makes an attempt. Solely Auston Matthews, who scored a power-play objective within the second interval, had extra photographs on objective than Nylander. Matthews had six, Nylander 5.
“He had a ton of alternatives once more,” Berube stated of Nylander. “He’s skating very well, robust on pucks, attending to open ice and he’s trying to shoot.
Commercial 7
Article content material
“He has been robust defensively and in good place, and he broke some performs up together with his stick. He had some good stick element.”
Nylander has 5 objectives in six video games, placing him on tempo for 68. His profession excessive is 40, executed twice.
“Generally that occurs, generally these go in, generally they don’t,” Nylander stated. “That’s simply the best way the sport works. Fortunate two went in right now. Hopefully extra go in tomorrow.”
TO THE MAX
Among the many issues {that a} coach finds pleasing: Watching a participant who has been a wholesome scratch come again and make a direct affect.
That’s what Max Pacioretty did.
After sitting the earlier two video games, Pacioretty scored the Leafs’ fourth objective to ship Vasilevskiy to the bench in favour of Jonas Johansson. Pacioretty additionally helped set up the Leafs forecheck early and completed the sport with three hits.
Commercial 8
Article content material
Pacioretty picked the highest nook on Vasilevskiy’s blocker aspect at 9:31 of the second after taking a go from John Tavares.
“He was participant for us, he was bodily,” Berube stated. “Had some huge hits and powerful. That objective, he’s a objective scorer. That’s what he does. He was an efficient participant.”
Ryan Reaves was a wholesome scratch. It stays to be seen what Berube does with the lineup in Columbus, however you possibly can Pacioretty will likely be raring to go once more, by no means thoughts it will likely be the second recreation in 24 hours.
On the opposite aspect of it was Nick Robertson, who continues to be the lone Leafs ahead who has performed in each recreation however doesn’t have a degree.
But.
Robertson’s vitality has by no means waned and he had 5 makes an attempt in opposition to Tampa, with a few the oh-so-close selection.
Berube just isn’t down on the 23-year-old, nor ought to he be.
“Nicky has put himself in some actual good spots to place the puck within the web, and simply misses just a little bit,” Berube stated. “The puck is bouncing on him just a little bit, or simply not clear sufficient.
“However he’s working and he’s attending to these areas and he’s getting the alternatives. I feel it’s just a little little bit of luck not going his approach, to be trustworthy with you.”
For Robertson, it should come. His offensive skills dictate that his first objective can’t be far off.
X: @koshtorontosun
Article content material
