The Toronto Maple Leafs made some strange decisions leading up to the opening game of the 2024-25 NHL season, such as healthy-scratching one of their best defenseman, but it hardly mattered as they dominated the Montreal Canadiens as if they were an AHL team.
Unfortunately, despite being the better team for the entirety of the game that they were not short-handed, the Toronto Maple Leafs failed to come away with the two points.
Really, who cares?
The season is long, the Leafs are all but guaranteed to make the playoffs, and, if they play consistently like they did last night, they will be the league's best team by a mile.
Dominant Toronto Maple Leafs get insanely unlucky in first game of season
The first thing about this game that must be said is that the Leafs had 47 shots, two crossbars, and either one or two goalposts. They were the best team in every period, and Montreal isn't much of an opponent, but the Leafs played, smart, high-tempo hockey and put a lot of pucks on net. (stats from naturalstattrick.com).
The Toronto Maple Leafs nearly doubled the Canadiens in scoring chances, and Dangerous Chances were 15-3 in the Leafs favor (obviously). Montreal goalie Sam Montembault was incredible, or maybe I should say in-cray-ab-ley. Whatever. He was the games first, second and third stars. Amazing.
As for the Leafs, they didn't do anything dumb, and pretty much all their players looked good. Even Ryan Reaves had a decent enough night and nearly scored, if I'm not mistaken (I haven't seen replays yet and I think it could have been Lorentz instead).
The Leafs best player was Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who played like he was 23 instead of 33. He played over 20 minutes, second behind Rielly, and the Leafs were just unbelievably dominant when he was on the ice. Unfortunately, he kind of made a bad read on the one PK goal, but whatever, anyone could do that it was a sick pass.
Other than the one PP goal Montreal scored, which was in no way his fault, new goalie and Joseph Holl injury replacement Anthony Stolarz was fantastic. He pitched a shutout, essentially, and has instantly made about ten million new fans.
Overall, other than, you know, actually winning the game, you couldn't ask for a better start to the Craig Berube Era. I don't really agree with the lineup he dressed, but clearly he knows what he's doing and there's a reason I wasn't consulted!
Jokes aside, that was an awesome game and the result doesn't matter at all. If the Leafs play every game like that they will win 60 times this year.