We’re entering the home stretch for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who are bound to miss the playoffs for the first time in a decade. This game served as a welcome party for New York Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer, who more than met the hype. New York strolled to a 3-1 victory, powered by goals from Brayden Schenn, Calum Ritchie and Emil Heineman.

Steven Lorentz scored his first goal since December 23, the lone marker for the Maple Leafs. Joseph Woll recorded 31 saves for the Maple Leafs, but he was outplayed by his Islanders counterpart, Ilya Sorokin, who made 26 stops in the winning effort.

All eyes were on Islanders rookie phenom Matthew Schaefer during his homecoming game, and he quietly lived up to the promise. Schaefer controlled the game from the back end, operating with the poise of a veteran star in their prime. It didn’t need to be the flashiest game from Schaefer, either. He exited his own zone with relative ease, using an array of crossovers, cutbacks and patient reads to dictate the run of play. Schaefer scored two timely goals against the Leafs in a January victory, but he didn’t need to dip into his full arsenal on Tuesday.

Schaefer generated a secondary assist on Calum Ritchie’s power play goal in the first period, drawing a cheer from the large cheering section (by Schaefer’s estimation, 1,000 people!) in attendance.

When Schaefer was on the ice at 5-on-5, the Islanders controlled 65 percent of the expected goals via Natural Stat Trick. That certainly matches what the eye test displayed as well. Schaefer flew out of the zone, and his lateral skating along the blue line wore down the Maple Leafs’ penalty kill throughout the night, especially in the first period, to the tune of two power play goals.

“The kid is unbelievable,” Maple Leafs forward Steven Lorentz said of Schaefer, post-game. “Yeah, he’s a heck of a player. And even the last game against us, you saw what he did. And for him to be able to skate like that at such a young age. It’s not just that, it’s the poise he has when he’s carrying the puck, and when he plays without the puck, he plays like a 10-year veteran. He’s a heck of a player, and he’s going to be in this league for a long, long time.”

From a competitive standpoint, there’s nothing to play for, but don’t tell that to Bo Groulx. Groulx has made the most of his opportunity since being called up from the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, and registered a primary assist on Steven Lorentz’s goal during the second period. Groulx worked well in conjunction with his linemates to fish out a loose puck, and he promptly found Lorentz for Toronto’s lone goal of the contest.

Groulx led the Marlies in scoring with 27 goals and 50 points in 54 games prior to his call-up. As the Maple Leafs look to re-configure their lineup ahead of next season, there should be room for the 26-year-old Groulx to carve out a permanent role in the lineup. Groulx told reporters last week in Montreal that he views himself as a defensive-minded player. Perhaps the Maple Leafs unlocked a staple of their 2026-27 bottom-six, in the dying embers of this lost season.

“He’s been very good,” Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said, post-game. “I talked about him. He’s been very good since he’s been called up. He’s done a lot of good things. Not just the points and the goals, it’s the other side of the game. He’s very smart, he’s in position. He does a good job. I think he’s played extremely well for us.”

No one is going to mistake the 2025-26 Maple Leafs for the offensive juggernauts of yesteryear, but Ilya Sorokin was quietly terrific for the Islanders. Sorokin saved over a goal above expected in all situations and kept the Maple Leafs’ attack under wraps. Matthew Schaefer made one notable error in the third period, fumbling the puck behind his net, but it was a footnote due to Sorokin, as the Islanders’ star goaltender robbed Max Domi in front of the net with five minutes remaining in regulation.

Sorokin leads all goaltenders with 26.8 goals saved above expected in all situations, via MoneyPuck. It is perhaps a testament to the goaltending depth in the NHL that Sorokin is still looking for his first Vezina Trophy. With one month remaining, it appears that Sorokin is in pole position.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson missed Tuesday’s morning skate for good reason. Ekman-Larsson’s son was born on Monday, and he spent time with his family, before re-joining the team ahead of the game.

“It’s been awesome,” Ekman-Larsson said. “Not a lot of sleep, but it has been great. Happy to be there and support her and do whatever I can. We’re so happy and everybody is doing good.”

Ekman-Larsson has operated as Toronto’s best defenceman all season, with eight goals and 35 points in 66 games, while earning his way onto Sweden’s Olympic team. Tuesday’s contest wasn’t necessarily a banner game from Ekman-Larsson, but it’s certainly worth celebrating the more important milestones in his life!

TABLE Fare + Social is a vibrant food hall in the heart of Toronto’s financial district, offering a unique dining and social experience just steps from transit and the arena—perfect for pregame meals before tip-off. Open weekdays from 11am to 10pm, TABLE serves up morning treats, creative eats, and lively after-work events. With a private terrace overlooking Toronto’s elevated park, guests enjoy stunning views alongside year-round programming that includes food tastings, cooking classes, live music, and pop-up events designed to spark connection and creativity.
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