The Maple Leafs have always had the horses up front, but are now building a goaltending stable.
So set are they at the position — yes, it’s only December — that they could put Joseph Woll’s five-game win streak aside and turn to Anthony Stolarz on Monday and get 27 saves against the determined Chicago Blackhawks in a 4-1 win. Stolarz’s eight wins now include six that have come following his losses with a healthy save percentage.
The duo have certainly helped put Toronto back to first place in the Atlantic Division with Monday’s result giving them a one-point lead on the Florida Panthers with a game in hand. Stolarz was overwhelmed by his old team in a 5-1 loss to the Cats a week ago and was determined to atone Monday.
With Chicago coming off a one-sided loss the day before and the Leafs with a little rest from an early morning Sunday arrival from their Florida trip, conservative hockey might have been expected. But the teams were crowding close to a combined 40 shots after the second period.
Stolarz faced more than 20 himself after foiling Nick Foligno during a 5-on-3 and back-to-back stops, a stretch pad and glove on Connor Murphy on the same sequence surrounded by panting, out-worked teammates.
On their 23rd shot early in the third period, Chicago’s Lukas Reichel squeezed one just over Stolarz’s red line, but rookie centre Fraser Minten restored a two-goal lead moments later and Matthew Knies added an empty netter.
Arvid Soderblom made the most of a high-profile start in Toronto on national TV, but was out-matched when William Nylander spotted Auston Matthews breaking for the net. In a tight space, Matthews made some nice dekes before steering his first goal since Halloween five-hole.
After nine games away and two assists in his return Saturday in Tampa Bay, Matthews was throwing his weight around, including a rare roughing penalty. He resumes his chase of Darryl Sittler and Mats Sundin for the franchise goal title, now 15 shy of Sittler and 46 behind Sundin. In the second period, Soderblom turned away a bullet from Matthews.
John Tavares, in vintage form during Matthews’ absence with an upper body injury, made it 22 points in 23 games with his second creative goal in as many games. Spinning away from his check he turned forehand to snap a shot that glanced off defenceman Murphy’s arm and in. It was three more even-strength goals from the Leafs who struggled with generating those when Matthews and others were away.
Tavares had told Toronto media earlier in the day that his fellow first overall pick Connor Bedard shouldn’t get discouraged as he tries his best and the last-place Hawks have yet to break 20 points. Bedard had some promising rushes on Monday, but was blanked to stay at 19 points through 25 games.
Toronto played without one of its top defencemen, Jake McCabe, but Philippe Myers filled in nicely and had three shots on goal. The Leafs have a day off and host the Nashville Predators on Wednesday, one of three teams out of the playoffs at present they face this week.
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