The Toronto Maple Leafs were back in action last night and picked up one of their most impressive wins of the season on Monday night, beating the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 in overtime. The win continues Toronto’s strong stretch of play and officially moves them back into a playoff spot for the first time since early November. It was a high-end game on both sides, with skill, pace, and structure all on display. Here are three key takeaways from the win.
Ending the Avalanche Home Winning Streak
The biggest storyline from the night was Toronto doing something almost no one has been able to do this season, winning at Ball Arena. With the overtime victory, the Maple Leafs snapped the Avalanche’s 17-game home winning streak. Colorado had not lost on home ice since in 17 games, turning it into one of the toughest buildings in the league to play in.
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The game itself was a back-and-forth affair. Easton Cowan opened the scoring before the Avalanche responded with goals from Cale Makar and Brock Nelson. Toronto didn’t go away, though, as Bobby McMann and Auston Matthews answered to keep the game tight. William Nylander scored in overtime, scoring with just over a minute left on a two-on-one rush. The play developed with a slick pass from Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Nylander snapped it past rookie goaltender Trent Miner to secure another two points and a massive confidence boost for the Maple Leafs.
Robertson Leaves with Injury
While it was a big night overall, it wasn’t without concern. Forward Nick Robertson left the game in the first period after blocking a heavy shot from Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson. The play came during a Colorado power play, with Robertson sacrificing his body to take away a scoring chance. He was clearly in pain and struggled to put weight on his left leg as trainer and Simon Benoit helped him off the ice.
Robertson was quickly ruled out for the rest of the game with a lower-body injury. His absence would be a tough blow, especially given how well he has been playing. He has found real chemistry on the third line with Cowan and Nicolas Roy and had eight points in his previous nine games. According to Luke Fox, he was seen walking around fine after the game. At this time, the team hasn’t provided an update but should before their game tonight against the Utah Mammoth.
A Complete Team Effort Against the NHL’s Best
This win stood out because of the overall team effort against one of the league’s best. Going up against a Colorado team loaded with elite talent like Nathan MacKinnon and Makar, the Maple Leafs played a disciplined, structured game. That showed most in the second period, where Toronto held its own and arguably outworked the Avalanche, a team that usually controls play at home during the middle frame.
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Joseph Woll was solid once again, stopping 31 shots and coming up big during a late third-period penalty kill. The win improves Toronto to 8-0-2 in its last 10 games. And, there is a noticeable edge to how they are playing. There is more structure, more buy-in defensively, and far fewer passengers, which makes this team a tough out as the schedule ramps up.
