John Tavares didn’t get to celebrate his 500th NHL goal last week in earnest, but he delivered another stellar performance for the Toronto Maple Leafs in a 5-3 victory over the Utah Mammoth.

Tavares scored his 501st goal in the third period. The veteran forward was honoured by the Maple Leafs prior to the game, with his wife, three children and parents in attendance. Tavares has been the Maple Leafs’ most consistent player through the opening month of the season, he’s been one of the NHL’s best players at 5-on-5, and was one of four Leafs with a goal and an assist on Wednesday night, joining Matthew Knies, William Nylander and Matias Maccelli. He dominated on a line with Nick Robertson and Bobby McMann, and it’s fair to say that the victory belonged to Tavares and Maccelli.

Maccelli exacted a measure of revenge against his former team, delivering his best performance of the season, one game after being rendered a healthy scratch. The playmaking winger was certainly motivated by Monday’s scratch, and with a chance to prove his former team wrong after a down 2024-25 campaign. Maccelli registered the game-winning goal, working a strong two-man game with Dakota Joshua, escaping to the slot before wiring it home.

It was another excellent night from the Maple Leafs’ headlining stars as well. Nylander tied the game for the Maple Leafs during the second period, finding a loose puck near the front of the net and burying it. Prior to Wednesday’s game, Nylander led all players in the NHL in 5-on-5 points, and he continues to be among the NHL’s best players through the opening stages of the season.

As for Auston Matthews, he’s beginning to silence many of his skeptics. Matthews’ shot chance generation has remained elite throughout the season, but his production wasn’t exactly lining up. That may be a moot point now, as Matthews ripped a shot from the top of the circle, set up by Maccelli. He showed excellent pace throughout the game, and it was a great night from the Maple Leafs’ top four players.

It wasn’t a flawless game to be sure, as Anthony Stolarz allowed two sub-par goals, and the power play continues to be a work in progress, with Oliver Ekman-Larsson now operating as the quarterback of the first unit. This would be nit-picking. It was a quality victory against a speedy, ascending Mammoth team, and the Maple Leafs should enter this weekend’s home games with renewed confidence, with Tavares, Matthews, Nylander, and for one night, Maccelli, leading the charge.

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