Arun Srinivasan

@Arunthings

·Follow

It may be reductionist, but Anthony Stolarz and the Leafs' first line won this game. Stolarz saved 2.43 goals above expected in all situations via Natural Stat Trick. Marner was excellent in all facets and helped up set up Knies' game winner. Leafs' bottom six, one shot at 5v5.

2:46 AM · Mar 1, 2025

64

Reply

Copy link

Read more on X

Toronto Maple Leafs

@MapleLeafs

·Follow

Stolie & Wollie 🥹

3:01 AM · Mar 1, 2025

3.7K

Reply

Copy link

Read 58 replies

Here are four takeaways from the Maple Leafs’ 3-2 win against the Rangers

• Anthony Stolarz was the primary reason why the Maple Leafs stole this contest, and are riding a four-game winning streak coming out of the 4 Nations Face-Off break. He made a great save early on Brennan Othmann, he made another great save on Ryan Lindgren and his rebound control was something to marvel at, especially considering the Rangers constantly won the net-front battles. Stolarz made a stop off his mask with Vincent Trocheck flying in off the rush in the second frame, he made another excellent stop on Will Cullye, and another great save on K’Andre Miller to close the period. He was lights out in the third period, with a series of excellent stops on Cullye, a flashy glove save on Artemi Panarin, and made another quality stop on a Mika Zibanejad one-timer when the Rangers pulled their goalie. He out-duelled Igor Shesterkin at Madison Square Garden and Stolarz, along with Woll, are the primary reasons why team feels different, in a positive way, from previous iterations.
• Toronto’s first line of Matthew Knies, Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner was the only forward unit with a positive shot differential in this game, as the rest of its lines were outmatched by New York at 5-on-5. Marner was outstanding in all facets, particularly on the penalty kill, and he helped set up Knies’ winner, blocking Shesterkin’s clearing attempt behind the net, got the puck over to Matthews, who fed a speeding Knies for a 3-2 lead. Knies nor Matthews were particularly dominant, but Marner was a cut above, and finished with a team-high expected goals share both at 5-on-5, and in all situations. You need your best players to be your best players sometimes, especially on the road, and Marner met the challenge, Knies scored the winner, and Matthews continued an eight-game point streak, while trying a series of audacious wraparounds.
• The depth bubble may have popped Friday. Steven Lorentz was the only player from the Leafs’ bottom-six forward group to record a shot on goal, while Ryan Reaves provided negligible impact and should be back in the press box. Reaves was brought in, ostensibly to fight Matt Rempe and provided nothing of value for the Leafs. Toronto’s third line consisting of Nick Robertson, Max Domi and Bobby McMann were outshot 7-0 at 5-on-5, although Domi requires an exemption, setting up Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s game-opening goal. Robertson committed a brutal giveaway on the power play, which led to Will Cullye’s game-tying short-handed goal, and was losing his edge throughout the night. This was a game where Stolarz and the stars saved the day.
• Chris Tanev’s absence was certainly felt, as the Maple Leafs struggled to make clean exits throughout the game. Morgan Rielly wasn’t the main culprit and was active offensively throughout the game, but no one really elevated their game. Jake McCabe often had to account for Philippe Myers’ positional mistakes, while the Simon Benoit-Conor Timmins pairing appeared out of their depth for large stretches of the evening. Ekman-Larsson left the game during the third period and if he’s out for a significant period, it may change the Maple Leafs’ approach to the March 7 trade deadline.