Nick Robertson scored the game-winning goal on a stellar individual effort as the Toronto Maple Leafs recorded their first win of the preseason, defeating the Montreal Canadiens 2-1.
John Tavares opened the scoring, converting on an incisive feed from Mitch Marner on the power play during the first period. Montreal equalized in the second frame, when Christian Dvorak converted after a poor defensive sequence, tucking the puck through Anthony Stolarz’s five-hole.
*Yoink* pic.twitter.com/CvCHakuV3n
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) September 27, 2024
Here are XX NUMBER takeaways from the Maple Leafs’ victory over the Canadiens:
William Nylander’s injury almost cast a shadow over the victory, but he’s OK
William Nylander left during the first period of Thursday’s game after colliding with Christian Dvorak midway through the first period. Nylander was given an innocuous, routine push by Nick Robertson in the neutral zone and he stumbled, before crashing into Dvorak’s leg. The 28-year-old immediately skated to the locker room and was ruled out due to precautionary reasons at the end of the first intermission.
“Obviously, elephant in the room with the Willy situation: it’s unfortunate, trying to give him a little bit of a boost but it is what it is,” Robertson said of Nylander post-game, while telling reporters that he did speak to his teammate after the game.
Robertson was clearly apologetic for the accident, although he didn’t have to be. It’s patently ridiculous to blame Robertson for a routine play, even in jest. It was a frightening scene, when you consider that Nylander recently fought through migraines during the 2024 playoffs, but Craig Berube told reporters that the forward will be alright.
“He’ll be OK, he’s fine. Nothing to worry about,” Berube said post-game when asked about Nylander’s injury status.
Maple Leafs forward John Tavares also confirmed that Nylander will be OK.
“He’s doing pretty well but obviously precautionary especially at this time of the year so hopefully it’s nothing more than just precautionary,” Tavares said post-game.
It would’ve been a harrowing loss for the Maple Leafs if Nylander missed any time whatsoever. He’s one of the central pillars of the organization, a bona fide star forward moving into a new role at centre where he’s expected to have increased responsibilities.
By all accounts, Nylander appears to be fine but it’s entirely possible that we may not get an extended look at him throughout camp. His absence almost cast a dark shadow over the team’s incremental progress throughout camp but Leafs fans can rest easy.
Easton Cowan plays his best game of the preseason, while Marner drives the line
Easton Cowan was afforded the chance to play with Max Domi, and his boyhood idol, Mitch Marner during Thursday’s contest. Cowan was presented with a golden opportunity and made the best of it, although he was critical that he couldn’t get on the scoresheet for the third consecutive contest.
“It was fun. They were great to me all game. They were keeping me positive. We generated a lot of chances but unfortunately none fell in but we won and it was good to pick up the first win for me, and it was good for the group,” Cowan said post-game.
Cowan-Domi-Marner controlled 84.4 percent of the expected goals at 5-on-5 via Natural Stat Trick, while creating eight scoring chances. As the adage goes, expected goals are nice, but actual goals are what matters, and Cowan is mindful of the fact that he still needs to show the prolific offense he displayed in the OHL last season, to stick in the NHL. He was constantly buzzing around the net and while the process matters more than the result, eventually the pucks need to go in, and full credit to him for being cognizant of this reality.
“I got to capitalize. You can do all of that for fun but if the puck doesn’t go in the net, it doesn’t matter. We’re going to work on that and that just takes practice and time and more patience when I have the puck in the slot and stuff. I’ll learn to do that as time goes on.”
Cowan gets another look this period pic.twitter.com/J6eYx9algn
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) September 26, 2024
Cowan was occasionally knocked off the puck and needs to get stronger, losing the puck during a late first-period offensive sequence, and he was easily stripped by Justin Barron in the third period. Virtually every 19-year-old NHL hopeful needs to add strength and that was still evident on Thursday night. But that’s where the negatives end, especially when you take into account his own self-assessment.
Toronto’s top prospect improved as the game went on and put the puck wide on a partial breakaway — not an ideal result, but he loosened up and began to show off his high-end offensive skill set. He missed the net narrowly with a backhand on a second period power play and appeared to receive in-game feedback from Domi and Marner well. The moment wasn’t too big for Cowan but ultimately, after his best game of the preseason, he will need to score eventually if he is to convince management that he is one of the 12 best forwards in the organization as currently presented.
Marner quietly had a terrific game, setting up Tavares on the power play for the game’s opening goal and in truth, he drove the line, extending plays when the puck would die in the neutral zone, while displaying top-level defensive form against an admittedly inexperienced Canadiens team, and this can’t be lost in the analysis. Cowan benefitted from Marner’s superior all-around game, but that’s no fault of his, either — Marner and Domi finished with a team-best 81 percent individual share of the expected goals and perhaps it’s a combination Berube will try again throughout the preseason.
John Tavares is also OK after encountering some stiffness
It was a common theme of Thursday’s win: the Maple Leafs displayed good habits, while waiting on injury updates regarding two of their headline stars. Tavares is ultimately OK, after his playing time diminished during the third period, and he told reporters post-game he was dealing with some stiffness. Tavares was clipped by Canadiens forward Michael Pezzetta early in the first period and skated to the bench slowly after the play.
Pezzetta catches Tavares
was slow getting skating off from it pic.twitter.com/aZZBzKAsJ1
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) September 26, 2024
“My leg was getting pretty stiff from the hit there I took there in the first,” Tavares said. “It wasn’t so bad afterwards but kinda throughout the second, and especially in the third, I just got really, really stiff. I didn’t have much and I told Craig to keep it short, but he was determined to give me the rest of the night off.”
Tavares spoke about how it’s difficult to simulate competition and it’s why he looks forward to the preseason. He was arguably Toronto’s best forward after Marner, registering the opening goal, while creating rebounds and opportunities for his teammates, while winning 60 percent of his faceoffs — which could render him as a potential option on the penalty kill. Max Pacioretty raved about Tavares’ spatial sense and hockey intelligence after Thursday’s practice sessions and Tavares once again put it into motion, while shaking off some discomfort.
Quick hits
- Jake McCabe turned in an excellent game and his partnership with Oliver Ekman-Larsson is coming together nicely. McCabe was physical, he broke up passing lanes, he facewashed Luke Tuch in the third period and played the requisite toughness and skill that both Brad Treliving and Craig Berube look for in their defenceman. You can only play the opponent in front of you and McCabe dominated against a youthful Canadiens squad.
- I don’t think I’m as sold on Steven Lorentz versus the consensus opinion. Lorentz, by all accounts, seems to be a great guy in the locker room and his Stanley Cup-winning pedigree is clearly an asset, but there were more than a few instances where the puck died on his stick. Ultimately, making the Maple Leafs may come down to roster flexibility: Toronto can realistically only use Cowan in a top-six role, Pacioretty can play through the lineup, whereas Lorentz can only unseat the current bottom-six forwards. This isn’t meant to move the goalposts so to speak, only that Lorentz has to prove that he has positional versatility beyond what we’ve seen thus far.
- Anthony Stolarz has impressed during his two preseason games, and should be locked in the No. 2 role beyond Joseph Woll. This isn’t particularly newsworthy, but it is worth mentioning that he moves so well laterally for a goalie his size, and he must be counting the days until the regular season begins.
