Oct 14, 2026 11:00 AM
The Toronto Maple Leafs dropped their final game of a three-game road trip against the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday. Multiple Maple Leafs took the blame for some of the breakdowns in that defeat.
The Toronto Maple Leafs ended their three-game road trip with a 5-4 loss to the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday, and multiple players have taken the blame for certain moments in the game.
The Maple Leafs did come close to evening up the contest late with a six-on-four opportunity. However, along the way to nearly completing a comeback from being 4-1 down, there were plenty of areas that can be cleaned up, and the players realize that.
Defenseman Morgan Rielly was asked about Utah's first goal of the game. Left winger Daniil But made a move on Rielly, leaving him in the dust, before netting his fifth-career NHL goal.
"Yeah, he made a good play," Rielly admitted, who finished with a minus-two rating and 16:09 of average ice time. "Obviously, that's on me. But I thought we did a good job getting back in the game. But there's plenty of areas to clean up."
Rielly wasn't the only player to take responsibility for part of Toronto's defeat, bringing the team to a 3-3-1 record after seven games.
Goaltender Anthony Stolarz, making his third start of the season, allowed five goals on 28 shots on goal from the Mammoth. He finished the outing with an .827 save percentage and endured his first loss of the year. He now holds an .875 SP from his three appearances this season.
There were a few goals that slipped past him, and the 32-year-old confessed that he could've been sharper in those moments on Tuesday.
"I put us in a tough situation," Stolarz said post-game. "You know, probably want two or three of those goals back. And not the way you want to go and end the road trip."
Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller defended Stolarz and didn't let him take the entire blame for the bleeding, conceding four goals in the second period specifically.
"He was alright, " Hiller said of Stolarz's performance. "He gave us a chance at the end for a period of a couple of saves. You know, they scored five rush goals. So that's not just Anthony. That's different people making mistakes prior to getting to him. There's probably a couple he wants back, but that happens."
As mentioned, Toronto's first road trip is complete. Their next opponent will be the Buffalo Sabres at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday.
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