The Toronto Maple Leafs skated square into a buzzsaw Saturday night. The Boston Bruins rolled into town riding a five-game winning streak and left with six, topping Toronto 5–3 in a game that showed both how close — and how far — the Maple Leafs really are away from success.
There was no shortage of storylines. Fraser Minten scored against his former team and gave a reason why the team never should have moved him. Anthony Stolarz got yanked “again,” for the second time in his career. And John Tavares buried a power-play beauty that reminded everyone he can still finish. But the night was another lesson in how the Maple Leafs can look like two different teams in the same game.
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So, let’s take a look at three positives and three negatives from the loss.
3 Positives for the Maple Leafs From the Bruins Game
There were positives in this game, and here are three.
Maple Leafs Positive One: The Power Play Finally Woke Up
After a week of special teams drills, the Maple Leafs’ man advantage finally showed some life. Nicholas Robertson opened the scoring on an early power play thanks to a slick setup from Max Domi and Morgan Rielly. Later, Tavares added another on the same script, with William Nylander feeding the former captain for a clean one-timer in the slot.
(Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
For a unit that’s been sputtering, this was progress. The puck moved crisply, the players looked decisive, and for once, the entries weren’t painful to watch.
Maple Leafs Positive Two: Morgan Rielly Was Steady
Rielly had two assists on the night and was one of the few who didn’t look rattled. He skated well, made smart outlet passes, and tried to keep things calm while the rest of the bench wobbled. You could tell he was trying to will some structure into what often looked as if it were on the verge of chaos.
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He won’t ever be confused for a stay-at-home defender, but Rielly’s confidence with the puck is one of the reasons that kept the Maple Leafs in striking distance.
Maple Leafs Positive Three: Hildeby’s Relief Effort
Anthony Stolarz didn’t have it — again. He was leaky from the start, giving up four goals on 19 shots before head coach Craig Berube had seen enough. In came Dennis Hildeby, and to his credit, the youngster looked sharp. He tracked pucks well, handled traffic, and made a couple of quiet, calm saves that the group needed.
It’s hard to ignore how different the game felt once he took over. If he had started the game, the Maple Leafs would’ve had a better chance to have stopped the Bruins’ five-game streak or, at least, taken away a point.
3 Negatives for the Maple Leafs From the Bruins Game
There were also negatives in this game, and here are three.
Maple Leafs Negative One: The Maple Leafs Put Up Another Bad Start
You can’t keep spotting teams a few early goals, especially Boston. After Robertson gave Toronto a 1–0 lead, the Bruins scored twice in 38 seconds. That’s not just bad luck — that’s focus slipping.
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The second Bruins’ goal shows what happens when too many players are puck-watching instead of seeing what’s going on and moving their feet. Against a team that thrives on quick-strike plays, the Maple Leafs handed the Bruins momentum on a platter.
Maple Leafs Negative Two: Goaltending Trouble Again
How does one explain it? Stolarz’s .860 save percentage hints at “backup on a bad night.” He played too deep in his crease for a big body, and it cost him again. The Bruins’ third goal, a jammed puck under his pad that needed video review, looked like he was tired. But it was also pure poor positioning.
Look for Stolarz to rebound. A goalie with his track record usually does. But with Joseph Woll still working his way back to the team, the Maple Leafs’ margin for error is razor-thin.
Maple Leafs Negative Three: Defensive Lapses & Lost Battles
David Pastrnak’s goal said it all. He walked right around Simon Benoit like he was skating a warm-up drill. Then came the dagger — a turnover from Steven Lorentz that sent Minten and his new teammates the other way for the insurance score. Until that goal, there was hope—carried by Hildeby’s play—that the team was rallying.
That’s been the Maple Leafs’ Achilles’ heel all season. One mistake turns into two, and before you know it, the game’s gone. Give the 6-foot-2 and 204-pound 21-year-old centre from Vancouver, who was drafted 38th overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2022 NHL Draft, credit for the knife to the heart of his old team. It has to be good. You could see Minten’s smile on his face as he skated to the bench for the (all too redundant in this game) congratulatory glove bumps.
What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?
If there isn’t panic yet, there should be urgency. Berube’s crew has now seen what a structured, confident team looks like up close. Boston doesn’t play faster or fancier; they play smarter. They seemed more ready to take advantage of mistakes than this Maple Leafs team.
If Toronto wants to be more than a fun November team, it has to learn how to take the hit, clear the crease, and close out games where the top guys aren’t feeling it.
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The Maple Leafs get another test tonight when the Carolina Hurricanes roll into town. Daily Faceoff hasn’t confirmed it yet, but it looks like former Maple Leaf goalie Frederik Andersen is in the crease for his team. They’ve also penciled in Hildeby for the Maple Leafs. If he does get the start, and why not, let’s hope it wasn’t just a one-night stand.
It’s early November, but it’s already starting to feel like one of those “let’s see who we are” games. How many have there been for the Blue & White this season already?
