There are still some issues for the Toronto Maple Leafs to work out before the playoffs, but Mitch Marner has been a constant force and delivered in the clutch once again this season.
Marner scored the overtime winner, the lone goal of the evening, leading the Maple Leafs to a 1-0 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Montreal would’ve clinched its playoff berth with a victory and will have to wait another day before the seemingly inevitable will occur. It was a terrific all around game for Marner, who took a shift playing defence alongside Brandon Carlo in the first period.
Toronto secured home-ice advantage through the first round of the playoffs as a result.
Anthony Stolarz made 15 saves for the shutout, winning his seventh consecutive game. Stolarz will almost certainly start the playoffs for the Maple Leafs, and could be the differentiating factor from previous years.
Marner received the team belt, awarded to the team’s best or most impactful player in a winning effort.
Hometown Buds!! pic.twitter.com/UPc7WrKUfa
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) April 13, 2025
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Here are five takeaways from the Maple Leafs’ victory over the Canadiens
- As a result of Jake McCabe and Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s injuries, the Leafs were forced to play with five defencemen and ended up submitting a defensive clinic against the Canadiens. Simon Benoit continued a terrific run of form through April, while Chris Tanev may have been the Leafs’ best overall defender, as both players worked well in tandem to facilitate easy exits. Benoit cut off the point of attack and several Canadiens’ rushes without giving up position consistently. Toronto finished with a plus-eight shot differential when both Benoit and Tanev were on the ice, and they were clear standouts, along with Brandon Carlo, who was active offensively and kept the Canadiens at bay throughout the game. Dakota Mermis will be called up on an emergency basis for Sunday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes.
- It wasn’t a banner performance from the Leafs’ offence, but Marner walked it off cleanly, converting a feed from William Nylander for his 98th point and seventh game-winning goal of the season. Marner was asked to play defence briefly during the first period alongside Brandon Carlo and was no worse for wear. He’s been the Maple Leafs’ MVP this season and you can now quite literally state that he’s been asked to do everything, short of playing goal. Marner finished with a game-high six shots and was constantly threatening Jakub Dobes during the contest. It’s only fitting he emerged as the overtime hero against a Canadiens team that was extremely motivated to clinch their first postseason ticket since 2021.
- Anthony Stolarz is undoubtedly the Maple Leafs’ playoff starter and though he wasn’t tested often, he was stellar when he needed to be, making 15 stops on the evening. Stolarz may have saved his best for last, robbing Nick Suzuki in close, before Nylander and Marner wheeled away to walk it off on the other end. The 31-year-old used his frame to great effect, and made two excellent saves during the Canadiens’ first power play, where Patrik Laine controlled the zone with the threat of his shot. It’ll be compelling to see if Stolarz plays on Tuesday against the Buffalo Sabres to close out the season, or if he’ll get a game in against the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday.
- It could’ve been a truly electric Hockey Night in Canada if Canadiens rookie Ivan Demidov suited up for the opener. By all accounts, Demidov wowed neutral observers at the Canadiens practice Saturday, and he could be the player that reinvigorates the Maple Leafs-Canadiens rivalry in earnest. This isn’t to invite trouble, but the Canadiens would’ve certainly looked more potent with the 19-year-old dynamo in the lineup, and his first game in Toronto will still be a moment to remember, down the line.
- Nick Robertson, Bobby McMann and Max Domi displayed good chemistry throughout the contest, and it appears that Craig Berube seems keen on using this unit for the playoffs. It’s the Maple Leafs’ second-most commonly used forward group at 5-on-5, and while McMann would be best suited on the second line alongside John Tavares and William Nylander, it seems that Berube may have locked this group in, with just three games left to experiment. McMann-Domi-Robertson outshot the Canadiens 6-1 at 5-on-5 and if it’s indeed one of the two forward groups locked in for Game 1, what other combinations does Berube have in store throughout the final week of the season?