The Maple Leafs snapped a six-game losing streak, but await the extent of the defenseman's ailment.
VANCOUVER — Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly sustained an upper-body injury at some point during the second period of the club’s 3-2 shootout victory against the Vancouver Canucks. While it is not yet known exactly what caused the injury, Rielly did not play in the final five minutes of the second period and remained sidelined for the duration of the game.
“Upper body right now,” Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said regarding Rielly’s status. “He’ll be looked at tomorrow (Sunday).”
Rielly has recorded seven goals and 24 assists through 54 games this season. Despite his production, he has struggled defensively, sitting tied with John Tavares for the team’s worst plus/minus at -17. This underperformance reflects Toronto’s current struggles as they sit near the bottom of the NHL’s Eastern Conference.
With Rielly out, the Maple Leafs leaned heavily on their remaining five defensemen. Oliver Ekman-Larsson logged a massive 28:10 of ice time, while Jake McCabe played 27:40.
Defenseman Marshall Rifai made his season debut but saw limited action, logging just 9:40. Essentially operating with only two defensive pairs in the third period, the Leafs' blue line managed to lock things down, outshooting Vancouver 18-5 in the final frame.
“Obviously, Mo is a leader on our team and a heck of a player, so I don't know the extent of what happened, but I hope it's nothing serious,” goaltender Joseph Woll said. “As far as the five guys stepping up, I think in the third period we really didn't give up much. They did a great job, from the forwards all the way through the back end.”
The victory snapped a seven-game losing streak for Toronto. While the Maple Leafs are expected to be sellers at the trade deadline, the short-term win provides a boost to team morale—even if the points slightly hinder their positioning at the bottom of the standings.