The Toronto Maple Leafs headed into their holiday schedule break on a much-needed high, using a 6-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins as an antidote to a brutal road trip and a turbulent stretch off the ice.
The win came a day after the firing of assistant coach Marc Savard. It offered a brief reset for an underperforming team that has spent much of the early season under the microscope, with both management and key players facing mounting scrutiny after a subpar start.
Leafs' general manager faced the media before the matinee matchup against Pittsburgh to address questions about Savard's dismissal, as well as the team's trade plans and the status of head coach Craig Berube.
Key performances from two much-maligned players and the return to the ice of a key defenseman were some of the positive vibes that temporarily replaced the doom and gloom surrounding the team.
Swagger Returns to Leafs' Star Winger
Heading into the game against the Penguins, Maple Leafs' star winger William Nylander was battling with his confidence. After Toronto's loss to the Dallas Stars to wrap up a winless road trip, an exasperated Nylander admitted, "I don't know if I've ever felt like this before" in relation to his and the team's struggles.
The uncharacteristic lack of confidence didn't carry over to the Pittsburgh game. Nylander's fingerprints were all over the Leafs' victory.
His first period goal was a great individual effort that gave the Leafs an early 1-0 lead. He deftly knocked the puck out of mid-air just outside the Maple Leafs' blue line to himself for a transition breakaway. He calmly deked Penguins' goalie Stuart Skinner and deposited it in the net. Nylander's casual finish and business-like reaction to the goal oozed the self-assurance the winger is known for.
He later added two assists and an empty-net goal. Nylander also displayed brilliant hands and stick-handling on a near third-period finish in front of the Pittsburgh net. After many questionable puck decisions and checking efforts in recent games, the return to form of Nylander was a positive sign for the Leafs.
Another noteworthy performance came from Max Domi. His dazzling end-to-end rush during 4-on-4 play just past the midway point of the third period gave the Maple Leafs a 4-3 lead and turned out to be the game-winning goal. Domi also added an assist on Bobby McMann's empty-net goal.
Domi has struggled so far this season, averaging a career-low in points per game, and has been a healthy scratch on multiple occasions. His fourth goal of the year broke a twenty-three-game goal drought. It was his first goal since scoring twice against the Calgary Flames on October 28.
The continuation of positive vibes came from goaltender Joseph Woll and the return of steady defenseman Chris Tanev. Woll was solid, turning aside 29 out of 32 shots. Tanev, after a shaky first period, played over seventeen minutes and grew more comfortable as the game went on.
While one win does not erase the recent stormy waters, it does offer the Maple Leafs a reason for optimism leading into the holiday break. The day began with Treliving publicly voicing his confidence in Berube and reaffirming his belief in the group.
It ended with encouraging performances from key players in an important victory, allowing the Leafs to step away from the schedule with momentum and a brief respite from all the recent adversity.