The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Edmonton Oilers 6-3 at home on Saturday night. The Maple Leafs took a 5-0 lead and held on while the Oilers attempted a comeback. Bobby McMann led the Maple Leafs’ charge, scoring two goals and assisting one. Pontus Holmberg also scored twice, while William Nylander and Auston Matthews added the other goals.
Matthews scored his first empty-net goal of the season, as well as his NHL-leading 58th. Despite missing important players Mitch Marner, Tyler Bertuzzi, Ilya Lyubushkin, and Calle Jarnkrok due to injuries and illness, the Maple Leafs dominated a tough Oilers squad. With this victory, Toronto climbed to 40-20-9 on the season, cementing their status as playoff candidates.
Item 1: Three Reasons Why the Maple Leafs Beat the Oilers.
The Maple Leafs defeated the Oilers for three main reasons. First, the Maple Leafs’ offensive prowess was on full display throughout the game, with Holmberg and McMann accounting for two-thirds of the scoring. Toronto’s ability to create and capitalize on scoring opportunities placed a lot of pressure on Edmonton’s defense and goaltender.
Second, the Maple Leafs’ goaltenders won the game. Before leaving the game with an injury late in the third quarter, Ilya Samsonov put on a brilliant performance for Scotiabank Arena spectators. He stopped 31 out of 34 shots. Perhaps more impressive were the saves he made. He thoroughly dominated the game, frustrating the Oilers at every turn. Martin Jones stepped out in relief, and he, too, was strong. He stopped five shots to help secure the victory. The excellent Toronto goaltender tandem kept the Oilers’ explosive offense on pace until it was too late.
Third, the Maple Leafs’ defense dominated the Oilers all night. The team demonstrated defensive tenacity. The tide swung after the Oilers failed to capitalize on their early man advantage, and Toronto took control. Killing penalties early in the game helped. The Oilers applied pressure, but the Maple Leafs played a physically demanding game against Edmonton’s top players. That appeared to frustrate and successfully limit Edmonton’s scoring chances. Toronto benefited from shutting down the Oilers’ power play early on and outplaying them five-on-five throughout the game.
Item 2: It Seems Ilya Samsonov is Okay.
The main question for Maple Leafs supporters came late and after the game. With only a few minutes remaining, Samsonov appeared to injure himself after Leon Draisaitl’s goal forced him to extend awkwardly. He lay face-first on the ice for what seemed like minutes, and when he stood up, he appeared unable to put any weight on his left leg as he went to the bench.
Fortunately, assuming the initial report was correct, what appeared to be a serious injury was not. Before the team headed to Carolina, head coach Sheldon Keefe provided a soothing message: “It’s not anything close to what it appeared or what I thought it might have been.” I won’t give you too many information right now, but it appears like he will be fine and won’t miss any time.”
Samsonov’s win improved his record to 14-3-1 over his last 18 starts. He has once again proven to be a trustworthy goaltender for the Maple Leafs. His journey this season has been incredible. He was waived by the NHL in early January. However, following his reset, he has made a spectacular return. He’s proven himself between the pipes and gained the faith of his teammates and coaches.
Samsonov will not travel with the team to tonight’s game against the Hurricanes. Joseph Woll will start, with Martin Jones serving as his backup.
Item 3: Joseph Woll Will Start in Carolina
As previously said, Woll will start tonight against the Hurricanes. The team’s objective is to manage the goaltender rotation so that Samsonov and Woll can stay fresh for the forthcoming tough games.
Part of the plan was to use Jones as Samsonov’s backup against the Oilers, allowing Woll to rest the entire night. Carrying three goalkeepers was beneficial in Saturday’s game. Since recovering from an ankle injury at the end of February, the 25-year-old Woll has a 2-2-0 record while allowing 13 goals on 105 shots. He is still shaking off the rust from his injury.
Item 4: Both Bobby McMann and Pontus Holmberg scored two goals.
The Maple Leafs’ victory over the Oilers highlighted two of the team’s young players. McMann and Holmberg each scored two goals on the night. McMann’s latest re-signing has been a revelation. He now has 13 goals for the season, and his confidence appears to be flying. In addition to his stature, he is also extremely swift. He frequently blasts past opponents to get shots at the goalkeeper.
Holmberg scored his goals in just over three minutes during the second quarter. His reputation is built on having a high hockey IQ and playing a trustworthy game, rather than being a scorer. For a teenager, he’s been a reliable 200-foot player nearly since his NHL debut. Both of these young players are likely to see greater ice time in elite roles. They will most likely earn additional full-time positions in next season’s lineup following their strong finish to the season.
What’s next for the Maple Leafs?
The Maple Leafs play in Carolina tonight. Fans will recall that the Hurricanes rallied from a significant deficit to defeat Toronto in overtime the last time they met. If Woll can perform well in the crease, the Maple Leafs may do well in this challenging back-to-back.
Currently, the squad is getting excellent secondary scoring, which relieves the best players. And, as brilliant as Marner is, the younger players have done an excellent job of filling in for him. Max Domi has also been really good lately. Can he continue his good play? If that’s the case, tonight’s game could be very close. Carolina is one of the best teams in the NHL.
