The Toronto Maple Leafs hosted the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday night and secured a convincing 6-2 victory, pushing their record to 3-1-0 to start the season. The win showcased the Maple Leafs’ dominant first period but highlighted some areas that still needed improvement as the game progressed.
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The Maple Leafs got off to a flying start, scoring three goals in the opening period and maintaining control for much of the night. At the same time, the team’s top-six stars came alive for the first time this season. However, the team’s struggles in the second and third periods left room for concern. Here, I’ll break down what worked for the Maple Leafs and what areas they need to fix moving forward.
Five Things That Worked for the Maple Leafs
1. The Maple Leafs Core Players Stepped Up
The Maple Leafs’ core players delivered in a big way. Auston Matthews, who had been searching for his first goal of the season, finally broke through with a goal and two assists. Mitch Marner entered his usual playmaker mode, registering three assists. William Nylander also added a goal and an assist to his impressive start to the season. John Tavares also chipped in with a goal, showing that the team’s most talented forwards were firing on all cylinders.
2. Nylander-Domi-McMann Line Shines
Head Coach Craig Berube decided to split his top four forwards across three lines, and the move paid off. Nylander, Max Domi, and Bobby McMann were Toronto’s best line of the game. McMann, known for scoring in bursts, scored two goals. Meanwhile, Domi added two assists, and Nylander was everywhere on the ice, contributing offensively and defensively. Each line member finished the game with a plus-3 rating, underlining their dominant performance.
3. Maple Leafs Special Teams Delivered
The Maple Leafs’ power play had struggled early in the season, but it finally found its rhythm in this game. The team went 2-for-4 with the man advantage, providing a needed offensive boost. On the penalty kill, Toronto was perfect, killing off all four Kings’ power-play opportunities. Berube credited special teams and goaltending as reasons for the team’s success on the night.
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4. Stellar Goaltending by Anthony Stolarz Once More
Anthony Stolarz continued his solid start to the season by stopping 32 of 34 shots. After three starts, Stolarz boasts an impressive .941 save percentage and a 1.74 goals-against average. He came up big, particularly in the second period when the Kings began to apply pressure. His solid play ensured the game didn’t slide away from the Maple Leafs. His performance has likely solidified his position as a reliable backup for Toronto this season.
5. The Maple Leafs Started Well with a Dominant First-Period
Unlike their previous games, where the Maple Leafs started slowly, Toronto came out flying in the first period against the Kings. They controlled the play from the opening faceoff and registered the first seven shots on goal. By the time the period ended, the team had scored three times to take a commanding lead. That strong opening set the tone for the rest of the game.
Three Things the Maple Leafs Need to Fix for Saturday
Although the Maple Leafs had a solid game against the Kings, some things still need to be fixed moving forward. Here are three:
1. The Maple Leafs Had Lapses in the Second and Third Periods
After a dominant first period, the Maple Leafs struggled to maintain control. The Kings outshot Toronto 11-0 in the opening five minutes of the second period. Surprisingly, the Maple Leafs didn’t register their first frame shot until the 6:03 mark. Although they weathered the storm and added two more goals by the period’s end, their lapses in focus need addressing.
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The third period also saw the Maple Leafs falter. The Kings outshot Toronto 10-1 by the 9:03 mark and scored twice during that span. Without Stolarz’s strong play in the net, the game could have taken a different turn. Toronto can’t afford to let teams back into games after securing an early lead, especially when facing tougher opponents down the road.
2. Timothy Liljegren Is Still Struggling
Defenseman Timothy Liljegren played in his first game of the season and had a chance to solidify his lineup spot after being a healthy scratch for the first three games. He didn’t. While Berube publicly supported Liljegren’s game, his time on the ice tells a different story. Liljegren appeared tentative and unsure of himself in his 14 minutes of ice time.
Liljegren’s underlying analytics were concerning. He was on the ice at five-on-five for only 21% of shots. Furthermore, his expected-goals percentage was just 16%. If Liljegren wants to keep his place in the lineup, he has to step up his game.
3. Where Was the Production from the Maple Leafs’ Bottom Six?
While the top six forwards were firing on all cylinders, the bottom six struggled. None of the bottom six forwards registered a point at five-on-five, and each finished the game with a minus-1 rating. The line of Tavares, Nicholas Robertson, and Pontus Holmberg had an expected-goals percentage of zero, a rare and troubling stat for any line. Tavares did score, but it was on the power play.
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The fourth line of David Kampf, Steven Lorentz, and Ryan Reaves wasn’t much better. They combined for a meager 0.02 expected goals. Depth scoring remains a concern for the Maple Leafs, and they will need more contributions from their bottom six as the season progresses.
What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?
With the win, the Maple Leafs improved to 3-1-0 on the season. Next, they will face the New York Rangers at home on Saturday night (Oct. 19.) The Rangers have started their season strong, with a 2-0-1 record heading into their Thursday game against the Detroit Red Wings. The matchup will be an early test for the Maple Leafs, who must fix their second and third-period issues if they hope to keep pace with an equally-talented Rangers squad.
Berube’s experiment of splitting his top forwards seems to have worked for now, but he’ll need to continue tweaking the lineup to ensure the team remains competitive throughout the season. If the team can address its lapses in focus and find a way to generate more offense from its depth players, it has the potential to build on this win and maintain its strong start to the season.
