Toronto got the first goal of the game, but New Jersey came back with four second-period goals and eventually defeated the Maple Leafs 5-2.
Anthony Stolarz spoke up and the Toronto Maple Leafs listened. Early in the game.
After Toronto's 4-3 overtime loss to the Seattle Kraken on Saturday night, Stolarz wanted to see his team get to the net more after he was fallen on twice by Kraken players. Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube agreed a day later that his players could have more of a netfront presence.
So, what did the Maple Leafs do to score their first goal of the game against the New Jersey Devils? They surrounded Jake Allen, and John Tavares knocked in a rebound mid-air for his fourth goal of the season.
Toronto added another goal in the game after the Devils scored three straight. Matias Maccelli tallied his first as a Maple Leaf on a nice passing play with Tavares and William Nylander.
Ultimately, the offense couldn't get going anymore, and the Devils added a couple more goals in a 5-2 win over the Maple Leafs.
Second line finding stride
Berube switched up the lines ahead of Monday's practice, but one trio remained constant: Maccelli, Tavares, and Nylander.
Early this season, you could often notice Maccelli's playmaking skills. He'd make quick, accurate passes that the regular eye wouldn't catch with the speed of the NHL. And after a slow start to the year, it feels like he, Tavares and Nylander are finally clicking together.
Maccelli was in front with Tavares on the first goal of the game. But where the trio really came to light was in the second period.
After a strong pass by Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Tavares found Nylander as he entered New Jersey's zone. Nylander then, on a two-on-one, made a great feed over to Maccelli, who buried it into the empty net for goal number one of the season.
You've got to give that trio a bit of runway to see if they can work together, but as of this moment, their success against the Devils was a good sign for the future.
It's just a matter of if they stay together.
Hardworking third line needs more time in offensive zone
Often in Tuesday's game against the Devils, Dakota Joshua, Nicolas Roy, and Bobby McMann would get the puck deep into the offensive zone. But then they wouldn't capitalize on it.
There's a vision for that third line, and everyone can see it. It's a big, hardworking, physical, hit-you-through-the-wall trio. All three players are over 6-foot-2, and each is skilled enough to produce offensively.
It might just take a bit more time to gel.
Joshua is yet to score as a Maple Leaf, but you have to think that once one goes in, his game will start to pick up a bit more. Roy gives you skill and playmaking. McMann wants to be a more consistent player with point production and physicality.
A good sign: the line combined for nine hits against New Jersey.
It's just a matter of if they stay together.
Line blender continues
There's a reason why, at the bottom of each of the two thoughts, I wrote: "It's just a matter of if they stay together."
As I was giving my thoughts on the middle-six, I looked up and saw that McMann, Tavares, and Maccelli were on the ice together. That's all because Nylander was thrown onto the top line with Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies, something Berube has been doing regularly throughout the last couple of games to get a spark.
The question I pose to you is: Should Berube go full-time with that trio?
At the beginning of training camp, Domi was the player they wanted to see with Matthews and Knies. They were strong together before, and the team wanted to see if the trio could have success again.
At five-on-five, the line had a 10.07 expected goals-for percentage at five-on-five, per NaturalStatTrick. With Nylander alongside Matthews and Knies, the line had a 100 percent expected goals for.
When you shift one line, the rest of the forward group gets jumbled. Understandably, there likely won't be lineup consistency until Scott Laughton returns from a lower-body injury. However, I wonder if the players want some steadiness at some point.
Other takeaways
- Chris Tanev took a knock to the head from Dawson Mercer's helmet early in the second period. The play was stopped before Tanev skated himself off the ice. Toronto announced at the beginning of the third period that he wouldn't return due to an upper-body injury.
- William Nylander's second-period assist puts him up to 11 on the season. He's assisted on 11 of Toronto's first 24 goals of the season.
- The second period has been a concern early this season. Going into the game, Toronto ranked fifth in second-period goals-against with eight. After Tuesday's loss to New Jersey, Toronto is now up to 12 goals against in the middle frame.
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