In a surprising game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Edmonton Oilers, the Maple Leafs skated away with the win by a margin of 6-3 on Saturday night on home ice. The Maple Leafs staked themselves to a 5-0 lead and then held on as the Oilers mounted a comeback. Bobby McMann led the charge for the Maple Leafs with his impressive two goals and one assist performance. Pontus Holmberg also scored twice, with William Nylander and Auston Matthews getting the others.
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For Matthews, it was his first empty-net goal of the season and his NHL’s leading 58th goal. Even missing key players Mitch Marner, Tyler Bertuzzi, Ilya Lyubushkin, and Calle Jarnkrok due to injuries and illness, the Maple Leafs never missed a beat to come out on top against a tough Oilers team. With this win, Toronto improved to 40-20-9 on the season, further solidifying their position as playoff contenders.
Item 1: 3 Reasons the Maple Leafs Beat the Oilers
The Maple Leafs beat the Oilers for three key reasons. First, the Maple Leafs displayed their offensive firepower throughout the game, and two-thirds of the scoring came from the team’s depth players, Holmberg and McMann. Toronto’s ability to generate scoring opportunities and capitalize on them put huge pressure on the Oilers’ defense and goaltending.
Second, the Maple Leafs goaltending won the game. Before Ilya Samsonov left the game due to injury late in the third period, he had put on a masterful show for Scotiabank Arena fans. He stopped 31 of 34 shots. Perhaps more amazing were the saves he made. He completely controlled the game and frustrated the Oilers at almost every turn. Martin Jones stepped up in relief, and he, too, was strong. He stopped five shots to help ensure the win. The solid Toronto goaltending duo kept the Oilers’ potent offense from getting untracked until it was too late.
Third, the Maple Leafs defense was tough on the Oilers all night. The team was resilient defensively. The tide shifted after the Oilers failed to score on their early man advantage, and Toronto captured the momentum. Killing off penalties early in the game helped. The Oilers pressured, but the Maple Leafs played a physically tough game against Edmonton’s elite players. That seemed to frustrate and effectively limit Edmonton’s scoring opportunities. Shutting down the Oilers’ power play early and beating them five-on-five all game long tilted Toronto’s favor.
Item 2: It Seems Ilya Samsonov Is Okay
The key question for the Maple Leafs fans occurred late and after the game. With only minutes remaining, Samsonov seemed to injure himself badly when Leon Draisaitl’s goal made him stretch awkwardly. He remained sprawled face-first on the ice for what seemed like minutes, and when he got up, he seemed unable to put any weight on his left leg as he moved to the bench.
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Fortunately, hoping this initial report was accurate, what seemed to be a serious injury was not. Shortly after the game, head coach Sheldon Keefe delivered the reassuring message before the team flew to Carolina: “it’s not anything near what it appeared or what I thought it might have been. I’m not going to give you too many details right now, but it looks like he will be fine and not miss any time.”
Samsonov’s win moved his record to 14-3-1 in his last 18 starts. Once again, he’s become a reliable goaltender for the Maple Leafs. His journey this season has been remarkable. He was waived from the NHL in early January. Yet, after his reset, he’s made a stunning return. He’s proved his worth between the pipes and rightfully re-earned the trust of his teammates and coaches.
Samsonov won’t travel with the team for tonight’s game against the Hurricanes. Joseph Woll will start with Martin Jones serving as the backup.
Item 3: Joseph Woll Will Start in Carolina
As noted, Woll will start tonight against the Hurricanes. The team’s strategy is to manage the goaltending rotation so that Samsonov and Woll remain fresh for the challenging upcoming games.
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Part of that plan was to suit Jones as Samsonov’s backup against the Oilers and allow Woll to have the entire night off. Carrying three goalies proved advantageous in Saturday’s game. Since returning from an ankle injury at the end of February, the 25-year-old Woll has a record of 2-2-0 but has allowed 13 goals on 105 shots. He’s still shaking off the rust from his injury.
Item 4: Both Bobby McMann and Pontus Holmberg Scored 2 Goals
The Maple Leafs’ win over the Oilers showcased two of the team’s young guns. McMann and Holmberg both scored two goals on the night. The recently re-signed McMann has been a revelation. He’s now up to 13 goals on the season, and his confidence seems to be soaring. In addition to his size, he’s also exceedingly fast. He regularly blows around defenders to get shots on the goalie.
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Holmberg scored his goals in just over three minutes during the second period. His reputation is less of being a scorer but having a high hockey IQ and playing a trustworthy game. For a youngster, he’s been a solid 200-foot player almost since his NHL debut. Both these young players likely earned more ice time in more elite roles. They will likely earn more full-time spots in next season’s lineup after their solid end to the season.
What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?
The Maple Leafs are playing in Carolina tonight. Fans will recall that the Hurricanes came back from a huge deficit to beat Toronto in overtime the last time they played. If Woll can play well in the crease, the Maple Leafs could do well in this difficult back-to-back.
Currently, the team is getting great secondary scoring, which takes a load off the elite players. And as good as Marner is, the youngsters have covered his spot well. Max Domi has also been really good lately. Can he keep up his strong play? If so, it could be a tightly contested game tonight. Carolina is one of the top teams in the NHL.
