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Maple Leafs-Lightning takeaways: Nylander, Stolarz deliver authoritative games, Matthews line outplays Kucherov
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Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Arun Srinivasan
Oct 22, 2024, 07:00 EDTUpdated: Oct 21, 2024, 23:46 EDT
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William Nylander scored twice, Auston Matthews recorded a goal for the third consecutive game, Max Pacioretty notched a goal after a two-game absence while Matthew Knies also got on the board, as the Toronto Maple Leafs routed the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-2 on Monday.
It was the lone game on the NHL calendar, and it was the Maple Leafs’ best effort of the young 2024-25 season. Chris Tanev received the belt, going to the team’s best or most important player in a winning effort.
Here are four takeaways from the Maple Leafs’ comprehensive win:

William Nylander with an authoritative performance in a game full of stars

William Nylander’s line with Max Domi and Bobby McMann started the game and came out of the gate blazing. On the first shift of the game, Nylander tried to drive past Victor Hedman and it took a sprawling effort from Tampa Bay’s captain to dislodge him. Toronto’s star winger wasn’t remotely deterred and delivered an outstanding performance, emerging as the best skater on the ice in a matchup full of future Hall of Famers.
Nylander opened the scoring shortly thereafter, as Bobby McMann’s initial centring pass was blocked, but Max Domi refired the puck and Toronto’s No. 88 made no mistake. He fired another shot on goal on his next shift, then set up Marner near the net-front on a clever chance that wasn’t converted. And that was just the first period!
He continued his relentless attack on the Lightning in the second period, where Matthews received a stretch pass from Stolarz, then Nylander and Marner worked the two-man game, Marner fired away and Matthews cleaned up the rebound.
Nylander is at his best when he attack defenders off the rush and he scored his second goal of the contest by flying into the offensive zone, beating Andrei Vasilevskiy through the wickets on an admittedly weak goal. It wasn’t a banner night for Tampa Bay’s franchise goaltender, who is no longer in peak form, and was chased after Max Pacioretty scored Toronto’s fourth goal on 14 shots.
Nylander highlighted Domi’s playmaking throughout the evening, and he was terrific in keeping plays alive, while sticking up for teammates, highlighted by a fight against Zemgus Girgensons. But the evening largely belonged to Nylander and Anthony Stolarz, despite several players deserving their own spotlight.
“I think his poise, his confidence with the puck, he can definitely fire a puck,” Stolarz said of Nylander post-game. “He’s so smart in practice, he’s always pushing the opponent, he has a tough release to read. I’m happy he’s on my side now.”
Nylander continued to attack throughout the third period, generating a good pad save from Jonas Johansson and he was just short of a hat-trick, as a dangerous one-timer from the slot was blocked early in the third period. It was an excellent performance, the type of game we perhaps became accustomed to last season. Through six games, Nylander is up to five goals and seven points and he was far and away the best forward on the ice Monday evening.

Anthony Stolarz earns multiple standing ovations, could be real No. 1 in tandem set-up

Stolarz signed a two-year deal with the Maple Leafs, where he was expected to work in tandem with Joseph Woll, a calculated bet on small samples for both goalies. Woll suffered an injury that required him to be placed on injured reserve ahead of the season opener, and the tandem setup could be disputed, as Stolarz is pulling away as the team’s nominal starter. He was outstanding during Monday’s victory and earned two separate standing ovations.
Toronto outplayed Tampa Bay during the first period, but it was a tied game at the first intermission, as Stolarz stopped Nick Paul on a breakaway, but Simon Benoit fell down and kicked the puck into the net for an own goal as he couldn’t stop his momentum in time.
“You just don’t even think about it,” Stolarz said post-game of Benoit’s own goal. “It’s part of the game. It’s going to happen. Benny is just trying to make an effort there. It’s one of those things where shit happens.”
From there onwards, Stolarz was out of this world with the Maple Leafs holding a 4-1 lead, potential trouble started to brew in one sequence. Bobby McMann and Max Domi both received minor penalties, the former for removing an opponent’s helmet, the latter for hooking and Toronto was forced to kill off a 5-on-3.
With due respect to the penalty kill unit, Stolarz killed off Tampa’s advantage singlehandedly, punctuated by a jaw-dropping save on Jake Guentzel that got the home crowd out of their seats.
“It’s exciting,” Stolarz said post-game of the crowd’s response after killing off the crucial 5-on-3. “It kind of swings momentum our way. Obviously, they have a 5-on-3 with an opportunity to swing change things. You know, the crowd getting into it, it kind of shattered them a little bit, and it allowed us to kill it off.”
“He’s been amazing. I mean, that play back there, it was a huge save, that might be one of the nicest saves of the year,” Nylander said post-game of Stolarz’s stellar stop and performance through the year overall.
Stolarz made 32 saves in the winning effort and saved a goal above expected at 5-on-5, while allowing just nine goals over the course of five starts — two goals or fewer in each start. He’s already emerging as one of the NHL’s best goaltender through the opening month and while it’s still early, he could potentially change Toronto’s plans to operate out of a tandem, when he’s playing like a true No. 1 starter.

Matthews line easily outduels Kucherov line, while Knies authors best game of October

Monday’s game was billed as a matchup between two of the most potent scoring lines in the NHL, as Guentzel, Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov had been scorching opponents, with Kucherov in particular flying out of the game to the tune of seven goals. By the time Point notched a third-period marker with just over minutes remaining, the result was academic. Advantage, Matthew Knies, Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner.
Berube used first change well to get the Matthews line matched up against the Kucherov line and it worked wonders. Matthews still hasn’t been on the ice for a goal against at 5-on-5 and skated intentionally to use his size in order to break up passing lanes. Toronto’s captain scored for the third consecutive game, and he blocked a rocket Victor Hedman slap shot in the third period, which broke his stick while the puck ricocheted out of the Maple Leafs’ defensive zone.
Matthews scored on the power play, after Stolarz’s stretch pass reached him entering the offensive zone, then Nylander and Marner combined to freeze up the Lightning defense and Toronto’s No. 34 scooped up the rebound for a 3-1 lead.
Marner notched two assists, but this very well may have been Matthew Knies’ best game of the season. Knies has been doing all the small things well but his speed was really notable on Monday, and he slipped behind the defence, taking a Marner bank pass off the board, then looked back as Tampa Bay’s Conor Geekie and JJ Moser crashed into each other, giving Knies a breakaway and he made no mistake for Toronto’s fifth goal of the night.
Knies, Matthews and Marner defeated the Kucherov line in every situation, outshot them throughout the game, with Guentzel operating as the primary defender on all three players at 5-on-5 and struggled. It was a major victory for Toronto’s top line that looks every bit the part of one of the NHL’s most dangerous three-man units in the league.

Pacioretty makes strong case for further inclusion, chases Andrei Vasilevskiy from game

Max Pacioretty returned to the lineup after a two-game absence, taking Ryan Reaves’ place. Pacioretty was bumped up to a line with John Tavares and Nick Robertson, beating Andrei Vasilevskiy with a quick-twitch release. Vasilevskiy was chased from the contest, after Pacioretty’s goal marked Toronto’s fourth tally on 14 shots.
Pacioretty has 10-game and 35-game bonus structures written into his contract, but he took the benching in stride and was calm, cool and confident when he met with reporters at the Ford Performance Centre ahead of Saturday’s game against the New York Rangers.
Pacioretty continued to do the small things well, springing Nick Robertson for a few chances — and Toronto’s preseason MVP is due to get back on the scoresheet after a strong September. As for the 35-year-old veteran, he’s able to be deployed on the power play and not miss a beat, while providing some steady scoring punch.
Berube appeared to be impressed with Pacioretty’s performance post-game.
“I thought he was a good player for us tonight. He was physical. He had some key hits, he was strong. He’s a goal-scorer and that’s what he does. He’s an impactful player.”

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