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Another feather in the cap

3:07 AM · Dec 13, 2024

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• Anthony Stolarz’s lower-body injury overshadows the highs of a Maple Leafs’ victory. Stolarz did not return for the second period and there was an audible gasp around the arena when Joseph Woll came out for the second period. Prior to Thursday’s game, Stolarz’s .928 save percentage led the NHL (among all qualified starters) and he was near the top of virtually every goaltending metric. Stolarz submitted a tour-de-force performance against the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday, where the Maple Leafs simply had no business winning the game without him. Stolarz appeared to clutch his leg after Frank Vatrano scored on a power play goal with four minutes remaining in the first period. He’s been a legitimate Vezina Trophy candidate, while the tandem was working to near-perfection. It’s back to the drawing board, and we’ll know the extent of Stolarz’s injury Friday.
• There’s a good chance Stolarz avoided a major injury. Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reported that Stolarz’s injury is ‘not believed to be incredibly significant’ although no timeline for his recovery was provided. We can likely infer that Stolarz won’t miss a significant amount of time, but Woll is now elevated into the de facto starting role for the time being, while the Leafs will likely need to call up Dennis Hildeby from the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. Former University of Toronto goalie Michael Nishi was Toronto’s emergency back-up goalie on Thursday evening.
• Max Pacioretty submitted his best game of the season and is all the way back from a lower-body injury that kept him out of the lineup for nearly a month. Pacioretty bullied his way to the net-front on the opening goal — benefitting from a terrific, between-the-legs pass from John Tavares and was a constant physical presence throughout the evening. He showed off his excellent hand-eye coordination by tipping home a Conor Timmins’ point shot for what stood as the game-winner, and registered the primary assist on William Nylander’s goal, floating a backhand pass towards his star linemate, then Nylander did his best Juan Soto impression and batted it home. It was an outstanding night for a 36-year-old veteran who can be deployed on the second line, or the fourth line, and can be equally comfortable in either role. Pacioretty spoke about the importance of timing and chemistry with John Tavares, and the Pacioretty-Tavares-Nylander line was easily Toronto’s best, with two actual goals and a 73 percent share of the expected goals.
• Pacioretty and Tavares stole the show, but Nylander was also terrific, scoring on a highlight-reel goal, while causing chaos for the Ducks’ defence with his speed and ability to split multiple defenders off the rush. Nylander finished with a game-best seven shots and Berube stated post-game that he’s never seen a player get so many breakaways. If Nylander begins to convert on his breakaway chances at a normal rate, he could be genuinely in line for a 50-goal campaign — he’s on pace for 51 goals as it stands.
• Jake McCabe was terrific in his return to the lineup, and he was already functioning as a truly elite defenceman prior to his five-game absence. McCabe entered with a plus-11 goal differential, while Toronto controlled 56.7 percent of the expected goals when he was on the ice at 5-on-5 on the season overall. The 31-year-old fit in seamlessly alongside his usual partner, Chris Tanev, broke up chances and attacked aggressively. McCabe’s point shot led to Tavares fishing the puck over to Pacioretty for the game’s opening goal, and Toronto boasted a plus-seven shot differential when he was on the ice at 5-on-5. He was stellar during 20 minutes of action in all facets and while you can account for an inferior opponent, it’s about as good a return from injury as you can reasonably expect.
• It may seem counterintuitive, but perhaps the best way to unlock Max Domi’s offense is to pair him with Fraser Minten to start most games, then move Domi up through the lineup if he attacks the offensive zone without turning the puck over. You have to feel for Domi to a degree, as he’s battled through an injury during a 15-game pointless streak, and he clearly is itching to get on the board. Domi is paid to produce and Minten is doing all the small things well during his call-up to the Leafs — there really should be no turning back for Minten, throw the developmental plan out of the window, as he’s already one of Toronto’s best 12 forwards, while the team operates in a win-now window. When Bobby McMann returns to the lineup, his elite speed could provide a new dimension and I’d be at curious to see how a McMann-Minten-Domi line operates, with two players capable of playing centre, and a unique mix of pace, playmaking and defensive responsibility.

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