Every once in a while, the Toronto Maple Leafs hit a stretch where things settle down and make a bit more sense. Their 5–2 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday felt like one of those nights. In the second half of a back-to-back, the legs were probably a little heavy. Still, Toronto looked like the steadier team.
Two goals from Matias Maccelli, a sharp performance from Anthony Stolarz, and a power play that finally woke up all pushed them into the Olympic break riding a tidy three-game winning streak.
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Perfect games are rare. But last night’s game was the kind that gives a team a little air. Matthew Knies put together one of his better efforts of the month. John Tavares quietly hit the 20-goal mark. Bobby McMann tossed in another empty-netter for good measure. And Stolarz, who hasn’t had an easy run this season, made the sort of late-game save on Leon Draisaitl that turns the bench into believers. With the break now here, it’s worth taking stock of three things that stood out on this short road swing.
Item One: Toronto’s Power Play Finally Shows a Pulse
For weeks, the Maple Leafs have been searching for any spark on the man advantage. It hasn’t been for lack of talent; it’s been the slow movement, predictable setups, and the feeling that they were forcing plays instead of creating them. In Edmonton, that script flipped.
Toronto didn’t just go 2-for-2; they scored when it mattered. Tavares’s earlier 5-on-3 score from below the hash marks was the game-winner. Maccelli’s 5-on-4 goal came right when Edmonton handed them the door. More than the goals, the group looked lighter, more patient, and willing to shift pieces around until something opened.
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If this is a sign of things to come, it’s a big one. Special teams sink teams in March, and Toronto has too much firepower to be stuck in neutral. Three straight wins (this one powered by the man advantage) suggest they might be turning that corner. But, is it in time?
Item Two: Anthony Stolarz Looks Like His Old Self Again
Stolarz needed a game like this. The Maple Leafs needed it too. Thirty-four saves, only two slipping past him, and a calm presence that’s been missing most of the year. After the upper-body injury and the rough stretch before it, he looked unsure at times, even a little late reacting to pucks. Not on Tuesday. This was the 2024-25 version the Maple Leafs hoped they’d see again.
He controlled rebounds, didn’t give Edmonton much to chase, and made the exact kind of last-minute stop — that diving reach on Draisaitl — that tells everyone on the bench, “Relax, I’ve got this.”
Toronto returns from the break with a tough back-to-back in Florida. There’s no question that Stolarz and Joseph Woll will split those games. If Stolarz stacks another solid outing on top of this one, he becomes more than a placeholder. He becomes part of the solution.
Item Three: Matias Maccelli Has to Be Growing on Toronto Fans
Maccelli wasn’t brought in to make headlines. He’s not loud, not flashy, and not the first name on anyone’s mind when things go sideways. But he’s finding a role that suits him, and it’s starting to show. Two goals against the Oilers, three in his last two games, and most importantly, the decisions he’s making with the puck are getting sharper.
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Early in the year, he looked hesitant. It was almost as if he was trying to figure out where he fit in a new system. Now he’s reading plays earlier, sliding into open space, and arriving in scoring areas with purpose. He’s also starting to stabilize the line he’s on, which can’t be overstated for a team that’s been juggling combinations all season. Even watching him on the bench talking with the guys, he looks comfortable. Has he found his space?
No one expects him to match his 57-point season he had in 2023-24 with the Arizona Coyotes, but he’s giving the Maple Leafs something they’ve needed. He’s a smart winger with some touch who doesn’t force plays, but finishes them when they appear. That’s the kind of player who ends up winning over a market slowly, one good night at a time.
What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?
The Maple Leafs are off until February 25, when they face the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers the following night. These aren’t just “get through them” games; they could help shape the early stretch run.
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If Toronto can carry this little wave of stability through the break, they might just come out looking more certain of who they are and what they want to be down the stretch.
