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Tavares powers Leafs, Stolarz shines, and more: 3 reasons why Toronto Maple Leafs won 3-1 against Detroit Red Wings
The Toronto Maple Leafs grabbed a hard-fought 3-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Friday at the Scotiabank Arena.
John Tavares notched up two goals, scoring one on the power play, with Mitch Marner adding another power play tally. Meanwhile, Dylan Larkin added a power play tally of his own to get the Red Wings on the board.
So, let’s explore three reasons why the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Detroit Red Wings on Friday night.
Three reasons why Toronto Maple Leafs defeated Detroit Red Wings
#3 The Leafs play a playoff-style game
Since Craig Berube took over, the Toronto Maple Leafs have transitioned from a run-and-gun team to a solid, hard-checking group. The Leafs have been playing much tighter defensively, often playing a stifling style focused on relentless forechecking and puck possession.
A good example of that came early in the third period when the Leafs’ third and fourth lines kept the puck in the Red Wings’ zone for over two minutes. The Wings’ defenders got stuck, unable to change, due to the relentless pressure.
Then, the Leafs locked down the game the rest of the way, eventually getting an empty-netter from Tavares to seal the win. All told, the Leafs look like they’re playing playoff hockey in November. Berube’s message has sunk in, as shown on Friday night against Detroit.
#2 Stolarz shines once again
Anthony Stolarz has become a revelation for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was an underwhelming offseason signing but has emerged as the Leafs’ No. 1 goaltender. On Friday night, he stopped 21 of 22 shots. But it was Stolarz’s performance in the third period that made a huge difference.
Midway through the third, he made a brilliant save, robbing Andrew Copp of the game-tying goal. During a scramble in the front of the net, the puck slid across to a wide-open Copp, who shoveled the puck on net.
Stolarz slid across to make an acrobatic pad save. The ensuing scrum around him led to confusion about where the puck was. Stolarz reached underneath his equipment to pull out the puck with his bare hand. The Wings argued that they had scored, but no goal was awarded.
Ultimately, Stolarz’s performance was crucial in the Leafs’ win, especially as the team locked the game down late in the third.
#1 Tavares powers Leafs
John Tavares had two goals on the night, including the game-winning on the power play midway through the second period. He also added an empty-netter at 18:30 of the third, stealing the puck from the Red Wings’ forwards trying to set up for the 6-on-5 sequence.
Tavares has played well this season. He added a hat-trick earlier this year against the Winnipeg Jets. With this two-goal performance on Friday night, Tavares has emphatically said that he’s still a relevant player.
Overall, Tavares has stepped up his game in Auston Matthews’ absence, which bodes well as the Leafs look to gain a firm foothold on a playoff spot in the Atlantic Division.
The Leafs will be back in action on Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens as a part of games on back-to-back nights.
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