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Leafs-Capitals takeaways: Tavares leads comeback, OEL’s rushes, Knies rewarded, Hakanpaa’s debut
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Photo credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Arun Srinivasan
Nov 14, 2024, 07:00 ESTUpdated: Nov 13, 2024, 23:58 EST
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It was the type of galvanizing comeback that often gets discussed as a potential turning point, and the Toronto Maple Leafs rallied back to defeat the Washington Capitals 4-3 in overtime. John Tavares scored the game-winner on a breakaway, racing down the ice to track down the puck, that was tapped down the ice by Mitch Marner, before tucking the winner past Logan Thompson.
Toronto trailed 3-1 entering the third period but the team stormed back after two periods of uninspired play, with William Nylander cutting the deficit to 3-2.
This was the video review bowl (H/T Alex Hobson) and Steven Lorentz’s goal was called off by the refs, due to what they deemed as a kicking motion. It was the incorrect call, but it may have inadvertently spurred the comeback.
“The one Lorentz scored, I don’t understand that call,” Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said post-game via TSN’s Mark Masters. “If you look at the rule, a kicking motion is a skate, right. This wasn’t a skate. It’s a shin pad. So, I don’t get it.”
Matthew Knies’ potential game-tying goal was inexplicably waived off by the referees and upon review, they upheld their original call, despite Knies clearly making contact with the puck below the crossbar. The league’s situation room wrote that Knies’ stick was above the crossbar and they’re simply incorrect. But it was rendered moot.
Knies broke up a potential game-sealing empty-net goal from the Capitals, then drew a cross-checking penalty from Nic Dowd on the same shift. On the ensuing power play, Marner rocketed a one-timer from a Morgan Rielly cross-ice feed, as Tavares won a faceoff, tipping the puck back to Nylander to set up the play.
Joseph Woll made 24 stops — including a massive, game-sealing stop on Alexander Ovechkin in overtime, seconds before Tavares’ winner — to preserve the victory. Oliver Ekman-Larsson skated in his 1,000th NHL game, and was awarded the team belt.

Here are seven takeaways from the Maple Leafs’ comeback win over the Capitals:

  • John Tavares was the constant positive force in the Maple Leafs’ victory. He was the best player throughout the evening, and facilitated strong results for the team, even where they were trailing the Capitals and victory appeared out of reach. Tavares centred Toronto’s first line flanked by Marner and Bobby McMann, and he helped McMann produce his best game of the month. McMann led all players with eight shots, including Toronto’s first goal, where he flew through the neutral zone, powered around Matt Roy, occupied Rasmus Sandin’s attention, before feeding it to McMann into a wide-open cage. Tavares worked the two-man game well with Nylander, before Nylander’s stick was slashed by Jakob Chychrun, drawing a penalty. He won the faceoff that set up Marner’s game-tying goal, and he was the primary reason why the McMann-Tavares-Marner line outshot the Capitals 9-2 at 5-on-5. Marner was terrific down the stretch, McMann’s elite speed was unlocked, but when the lines were put in a blender, Tavares was the constant presence for the Maple Leafs and deserved the winner.
  • A quick word on Marner: he set up Tavares for the game-winner, clearing Woll’s save on Ovechkin up the ice, he scored the game-tying goal, he hounded down pucks, and he has three goals and eight points during Auston Matthews’ five-game absence. He deserves his flowers, where he can get them, and he’s been a terrific all-around force for the Maple Leafs during this November stretch.
  • Oliver Ekman-Larsson was a constant threat off the rush for the Maple Leafs and attacked the zone with intentionality in his 1,000th career game. It wasn’t a perfect game from Ekman-Larsson, as he was caught out of position on Dylan Strome’s goal, but he also did a number of things well, and it was his rush that created the disallowed Steven Lorentz goal. His gap control and rush defence improved as the game went on, he helped stabilized Morgan Rielly — who got the first look with Jani Hakanpaa, and he finished with a 79 percent share of the expected goals at 5-on-5, second only to Lorentz. After the game, William Nylander revealed to reporters that Ekman-Larsson would be buying an expensive dinner for the team to celebrate 1,000 games. It was the type of offensive performance that the Maple Leafs need to see more often from their blue line.
  • You have to feel for Max Domi, who remains without a goal through the opening 18 games of the season. Taylor Raddysh opened the scoring when his centring pass banked off Domi’s skate and in, for an own goal. Domi was sprung on a clear breakaway but was stopped relatively easily by Logan Thompson on the glove side. William Nylander and Matthew Knies both put together strong individual games — Nylander tapping home his 12th goal of the season on a Knies drive, while Knies began to bowl over opponents with his power game, but Domi seemed to struggle throughout the game, with a few defensive lapses as well. Knies-Domi-Nylander were outchanced 10-1 during the first period, but both Nylander and Knies found their legs throughout the game, and Knies was robbed by the video booth of a sure-fire goal. We don’t mean to single Domi out, but it’s a game he’ll want to forget about in all facets, and could be a logical third-line option if Matthews returns for Saturday’s marquee against the Edmonton Oilers.
  • Ball don’t lie for Matthew Knies. Knies was robbed by the video review of a sure-fire goal, where he expertly deflected Morgan Rielly’s slap shot into the net. The situation room said Knies’ stick was above the crossbar, but it had to be an optical illusion as Knies brought his stick in a downwards motion, connecting with the puck well below the legal limit. He was a menace after the first period, driving the net and almost scoring a goal of his own, where Nylander tapped home the rebound. Knies rescued the game for the Maple Leafs, stopping an empty-net goal where he broke up Nic Dowd’s attempt, then drew a penalty, which led to Marner’s game-tying power play goal on the ensuing shift. We’ve said this many times in this space before, but Knies is one of the NHL’s true breakout stars this year.
  • Jani Hakanpaa made his much-anticipated season debut, and was originally paired alongside Morgan Rielly, before Craig Berube went back to his more traditional top-four group. Hakanpaa logged 15:36 during the game, and you can see why Brad Treliving pushed for his inclusion. Hakanpaa has the size to clear forwards in the net front, he’s a decent skater who can get into shooting lanes, and he can occasionally hop into the rush, with two shots during the game. Hakanpaa kept a few pucks alive in the offensive zone, he committed two giveaways, and while it’s unclear how Saturday’s lineup looks, he should be alternating the No. 5 spot with Simon Benoit, until there’s a clear solution. With an emphasis on getting Hakanpaa some more reps, it’s possible Benoit sits for another game, but there’s still some internal competition on the Leafs’ bottom pair.
  • Alex Steeves showed flashes of NHL potential, generating a good look on his first shift, and finished the game with three shots, but Nick Robertson — yes, we’re aware of his one goal, but he also leads the team in drawn penalties — ought to factor back into the lineup, he’s the superior player at this juncture, even if Steeves rightfully earned a promotion with nine goals and 12 points in 10 games with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies.

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