The Toronto Maple Leafs were back in the win column Saturday night, as it took a complete team effort to come out on top of the Vancouver Canucks with a 3-2 shootout win. Auston Matthews enjoyed some revenge after missing on a penalty shot in overtime to secure the win in the breakaway challenge. Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube made things very clear after the game that it was William Nylander who gave the Leafs’ lineup the boost it needed.
“It was a great effort by our team. It’s great to have Willy back. We got it done. It took a bit.” stated Berube postgame.
Nylander returned to the lineup for the first time since Jan. 15, playing over 20 minutes against the Canucks, and while he didn’t hit the scoresheet, Berube could feel the boost as the skilled winger helped generate offence, something the Leafs have lacked during their six-game losing streak.
“I thought he was really good tonight. He skated extremely well, competed, and created offense. Overall, hearing him on the bench talking, he brings leadership and things like that. I thought he elevated everybody on the team, to be honest with you.”
The Maple Leafs entered Vancouver searching for answers as they just went through a dismal home stand, lost the first game of the road trip in Seattle, and then entered the third period against the Canucks down 2-1. Berube made things very clear during the second intermission, the third period against the Canucks had absolutely everything riding on it.
“We talked before the period about how it had to be our best period of the year. For me, it was pretty close. We had the puck the whole period and couldn’t find the back of the net.”
With the two points against the Canucks, the Maple Leafs leapfrogged the Philadelphia Flyers and New Jersey Devils in the Eastern Conference standings, and now sit eight points out of a playoff spot. It’s tough sledding ahead, there’s no doubt about it, but perhaps the two-week Olympic break can help the team reset ahead of the homestretch of the 2025-26 season. Berube knows in order for the Maple Leafs to have any chance, they’ll need the Joseph Woll he saw against the Canucks, the entire rest of the season.
“That three-on-three sometimes gets a little wild, but Woll made some big saves. He made a huge save late in the third period when they had an odd-man rush. For me, that is a save that wins the hockey game. Well, it’s huge. Both of our goalies are. In this league, you need solid goaltending night after night. We had that combination going last year, all year. It put you in a really good spot. We need both of them to play well”
The Leafs continue their western swing against the Calgary Flames on Monday, followed by facing off against the Edmonton Oilers the very next night, and then have 22 days off between games. Four more points ahead of the break would do wonders for this hockey club, and put GM Brad Treliving in a very interesting spot ahead of the trade deadline.
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