<p>We can now look ahead to the regular season, as the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 on Saturday night to close out the preseason.<strong> </strong>Steven Lorentz, Auston Matthews and John Tavares got on the board for the Maple Leafs, while Joseph Woll made 18 saves.</p>
<div class="bam-inline-promotion-block" data-max-length="2" data-placement-id="2106" data-context="web-content-promocard" data-property-id="324"></div>
<p>Tavares fired a textbook wrist shot from inside the faceoff circle, beating Ville Husso for the go-ahead goal on the power play, just under five minutes into the third period. It was Tavares&#8217; second goal of the preseason, coming off an outstanding pass from Matthews that cut through the Red Wings&#8217; defense.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">DID YOU C THAT!?! 🍎🎯 <a href="https://t.co/Vw7AtCL6n1">pic.twitter.com/Vw7AtCL6n1</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) <a href="https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/1842734129403847146?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Woll received his first full start of the preseason and it began inauspiciously. Max Pacioretty turned the puck over in his own zone and Detroit&#8217;s Christian Fischer redirected an Andrew Copp shot for the game&#8217;s opening goal. It was the Red Wings&#8217; first shot of the game but Woll rallied back, closing the door on Detroit&#8217;s Albert Johansson midway through the opening frame.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Woll has his biggest stop of the period <a href="https://t.co/tW0KIrF2pO">pic.twitter.com/tW0KIrF2pO</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Omar (@TicTacTOmar) <a href="https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1842706206353199476?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Toronto&#8217;s fourth line made a number of splash plays — Ryan Reaves and Steven Lorentz particularly working well in tandem. Reaves crushed Red Wings defenceman Brogan Rafferty, Rafferty coughed up the puck, and Reaves fed Lorentz for Toronto&#8217;s equalizing goal in the first period. The final roster has yet to be announced, but Lorentz and Reaves could end up flanking David Kampf on Toronto&#8217;s fourth line during Wednesday&#8217;s season opener, with the team boasting a surplus of NHL-ready forwards.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">LOCOMOTIVE LORENTZ!! 👀 <a href="https://t.co/o1B9xZmQVp">pic.twitter.com/o1B9xZmQVp</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) <a href="https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/1842709070555603301?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Reaves was crashing the net constantly and tried to muscle his way into high-danger opportunities throughout the contest. It was a particularly encouraging result against a Red Wings team that rested most of their NHL regulars Saturday.</p>
<p>&#8220;They were great tonight,&#8221; Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said of the fourth line, post-game. &#8220;I know they got a goal, but just controlled the play and made it tough on the other team. Ragging pucks in the offensive zone, checking well. That&#8217;s what we need. They&#8217;re a big line.&#8221;</p>
<p>Auston Matthews can make the toughest games look easy and he was a cut above the rest of the competition, wiring home a perfect one-timer off a Mitch Marner feed to tie the game at 2-2. Matthews finished with a goal and an assist, while Marner registered two assists.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="und" dir="ltr">1634 🪄 <a href="https://t.co/XmPZgXQkur">pic.twitter.com/XmPZgXQkur</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) <a href="https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/1842720079839981856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Matthews and Marner will begin the season alongside Matthew Knies, who earned props from head coach Craig Berube for his tenacity on the cycle, which led to a drawn penalty in the second period.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Knies works for that drawn call <a href="https://t.co/31pOUY08pV">pic.twitter.com/31pOUY08pV</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Omar (@TicTacTOmar) <a href="https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1842720111246913679?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>&#8220;I thought the second and third periods, individually for myself and as a team, we really started to get playing, more direct, forcing turnovers, hounding pucks in the defensive zone and staying on it,&#8221; Matthews said post-game. &#8220;Obviously, it&#8217;s nice to finish on a win but I thought we did some really good things there in the second half of the game.&#8221;</p>
<p>Detroit called a timeout with 1:14 remaining in the third period as Toronto held onto the narrow, one-goal lead and pulled Husso for a 6-on-5 scenario and it caused some panic. Matthews almost scored an empty net goal, but with 19.7 seconds remaining, Conor Timmins roofed the puck over the glass, creating a 6-on-4 situation for the Red Wings.</p>
<p>There are some things to clean up, but ultimately the Maple Leafs conclude the preseason with four consecutive victories and it&#8217;ll be compelling to see who makes the final cut ahead of Monday&#8217;s deadline.</p>
<h3>Sponsored by bet365</h3>
<div class="bam-inline-promotion" data-property-id="324" data-promotion-id="18983" data-context="web-content-promocard"></div>


We can now look ahead to the regular season, as the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 on Saturday night to close out the preseason.<strong> </strong>Steven Lorentz, Auston Matthews and John Tavares got on the board for the Maple Leafs, while Joseph Woll made 18 saves.
<div class="bam-inline-promotion-block" data-max-length="2" data-placement-id="2106" data-context="web-content-promocard" data-property-id="324"></div>
Tavares fired a textbook wrist shot from inside the faceoff circle, beating Ville Husso for the go-ahead goal on the power play, just under five minutes into the third period. It was Tavares' second goal of the preseason, coming off an outstanding pass from Matthews that cut through the Red Wings' defense.

https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/1842734129403847146

Woll received his first full start of the preseason and it began inauspiciously. Max Pacioretty turned the puck over in his own zone and Detroit's Christian Fischer redirected an Andrew Copp shot for the game's opening goal. It was the Red Wings' first shot of the game but Woll rallied back, closing the door on Detroit's Albert Johansson midway through the opening frame.

https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1842706206353199476

Toronto's fourth line made a number of splash plays — Ryan Reaves and Steven Lorentz particularly working well in tandem. Reaves crushed Red Wings defenceman Brogan Rafferty, Rafferty coughed up the puck, and Reaves fed Lorentz for Toronto's equalizing goal in the first period. The final roster has yet to be announced, but Lorentz and Reaves could end up flanking David Kampf on Toronto's fourth line during Wednesday's season opener, with the team boasting a surplus of NHL-ready forwards.

https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/1842709070555603301

Reaves was crashing the net constantly and tried to muscle his way into high-danger opportunities throughout the contest. It was a particularly encouraging result against a Red Wings team that rested most of their NHL regulars Saturday.

"They were great tonight," Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said of the fourth line, post-game. "I know they got a goal, but just controlled the play and made it tough on the other team. Ragging pucks in the offensive zone, checking well. That's what we need. They're a big line."

Auston Matthews can make the toughest games look easy and he was a cut above the rest of the competition, wiring home a perfect one-timer off a Mitch Marner feed to tie the game at 2-2. Matthews finished with a goal and an assist, while Marner registered two assists.

https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/1842720079839981856

Matthews and Marner will begin the season alongside Matthew Knies, who earned props from head coach Craig Berube for his tenacity on the cycle, which led to a drawn penalty in the second period.

https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1842720111246913679

"I thought the second and third periods, individually for myself and as a team, we really started to get playing, more direct, forcing turnovers, hounding pucks in the defensive zone and staying on it," Matthews said post-game. "Obviously, it's nice to finish on a win but I thought we did some really good things there in the second half of the game."

Detroit called a timeout with 1:14 remaining in the third period as Toronto held onto the narrow, one-goal lead and pulled Husso for a 6-on-5 scenario and it caused some panic. Matthews almost scored an empty net goal, but with 19.7 seconds remaining, Conor Timmins roofed the puck over the glass, creating a 6-on-4 situation for the Red Wings.

There are some things to clean up, but ultimately the Maple Leafs conclude the preseason with four consecutive victories and it'll be compelling to see who makes the final cut ahead of Monday's deadline.
<h3>Sponsored by bet365</h3>
<div class="bam-inline-promotion" data-property-id="324" data-promotion-id="18983" data-context="web-content-promocard"></div>

Maple Leafs close out preseason with victory over Red Wings

Recent articles from Arun Srinivasan

Breaking News