The Toronto Maple Leafs’ 4-3 overtime win over the New Jersey Devils was a game that at times felt and looked slow but had an energizing conclusion. Despite outshooting the Devils, they had the better looks throughout the game though mostly capitalizing on the power play. Speaking of power plays, the Leafs’ man advantage was a difference maker in this one even though the penalty kill was almost one of the reasons they lost. It was fitting to see the stars stand up and rise to the occasion offensively, especially with John Tavares out of the lineup week to week.
Coach Craig Berube has spent a lot of the season preaching about the importance of staying patient and sticking with the flow of the game. The Leafs did that with the help of their returning shutdown defence pair and walked away with two points. The Leafs get a final grade of B+.
Player reports
Auston Matthews: A+
It was only a matter of time before Matthews found the back of the net with the way he was playing and the chances he was getting. Two goals in a game is one thing, but the timing of them was even better. Matthews drew a tripping call in the third and went to the net, squeaking one by Jacob Markstrom to tie it.
AUSTON MATTHEWS 🚨
The Devils Slayer Strikes pic.twitter.com/hcLkZmYUBf
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) January 17, 2025
Matthews’ second tied the game once again in the final five minutes of regulation, at the very least securing a point for the Leafs. We’ve been used to the high-accuracy snip shows from Matthews for years and we got treated to it.
AUSTON MATTHEWS 🚨🚨
THE CAPTAIN’S DRAGGING THEM BACK IN pic.twitter.com/s7sfBLORP8
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) January 17, 2025
Jake McCabe and Chris Tanev: A+
I missed these two together. They’re in sync, read each other well and know where each other is going to be, especially when defending entries and starting exits. The pair had another good sequence in the second period with McCabe breaking up a two-on-one against.
I missed this pair pic.twitter.com/obOMcCzE2I
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) January 17, 2025
They were a combined plus-5 putting up three points between each other assisting on both five-on-five goals and the overtime winner.
William Nylander: B+
His pass attempt on the power play gave Nico Hischier the short-handed break that ended their chance to tie the game. However, it was Nylander’s 25th of the season that tied it.
WILLIAM NYLANDER 🚨
Tie game! pic.twitter.com/HVyk5T5oiT
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) January 17, 2025
Nylander got the final dagger in overtime to complete the narrative. He started the game’s scoring and finished it.
WILLIAM NYLANDER 🚨🚨 OVERTIME WINNER pic.twitter.com/jBQ9PHa5Hn
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) January 17, 2025
Matthew Knies: B
The overpass bug came for Knies once again in this game. He had a good chance at the end of the first, though it looked as if he was trying to find Matthews instead of getting a better shot himself. He passed on another chance in between the hash marks to start the second. Knies also had a bit of a scare after a collision with Timo Meier had him skate into the net but he came back from it not shying away from going to those rough areas for offence.
Mitch Marner: B
A milestone assist for Marner with his short bank pass to Matthews earned him his 700th NHL point. His pass to Nylander for the winner was world’s better.
Mitch Marner recorded his 700th point in his 622nd game and became the fastest player in @MapleLeafs history to reach the milestone, passing Darryl Sittler (666 GP).
#NHLStats: https://t.co/Px7DmZSFGN pic.twitter.com/vnMhiRI4HN— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) January 17, 2025
Max Domi: B
The assist on the Nylander goal was his 300th of his career. He won the neutral zone puck battle over Johnathan Kovacevic. His battle against Kovacevic didn’t end there as his pass to Nylander bounced off his stick first. It was also good to see Domi get back above 50 percent in the faceoff dot after getting the bump to the second line to replace Tavares.
Bobby McMann: B
Good replacement for Tavares on the top unit. It was a great read for McMann to push out to the high slot for support and it earned him a secondary assist on Matthews’ first of the night.
Joseph Woll: B-
This was a tricky one for Woll. He faced fewer pucks but more dangerous chances than Markstrom. Though the Leafs could’ve used a save on one of those two Hischier goals. The first goal was a one-on-one off a defensive breakdown against Jack Hughes. Not much he can do there, but he did get a piece of it before it trickled in.
You can argue wanting Woll to do more on Hischier’s first and kicking the rebound out to him for his second is an easy way to give up a goal. It was a mixed bag of mistakes in front of Woll as well. He wasn’t perfect, but I didn’t think he was horrible.
Morgan Rielly: B-
Led all defenders with seven shots on goal and jumping up as a fourth option freed forwards for cleaner shots. Rielly needs to be harder on Meier on the second short-handed goal.
Max Pacioretty, Pontus Holmberg and Nick Robertson: C+
The line combined for five shots on goal. Pacioretty’s deflected point shot in the first was the team’s best scoring chance for a while before Nylander’s goal. They had some good zone time in the latter half of the game, but nothing that stood out too much.
Conor Timmins: C+
Timmins handcuffed Woll on the Hischier power-play goal. It’s a good shot with a lot of time and space, but Timmins needed to do something to challenge the shooter. Instead, he screened the goaltender.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson: C+
Two penalties, two goals against. The second was worse by far with it being in the offensive zone right after Matthews tied it the first time.
Philippe Myers: C+
No one can predict a turnover, but you need to be in a good position to respond to one in your own zone. Myers needed to be lower in the zone and closer to Jack Hughes ahead of the first goal against. His positioning didn’t help on Hischier’s second goal either as he wasn’t close enough to him. He got there, eventually knocking him down in the first place, but the puck was already in the net.
Steven Lorentz, David Kämpf and Connor Dewar: C
The fourth-line trio were the only minus forwards. The first goal started with Lorentz as he was caught against the wall at the offensive blue line and couldn’t get the puck out.
Jack Hughes scores for the Devils pic.twitter.com/84OOrelsPy
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) January 17, 2025
Game Score
What’s next for the Leafs?
It’s a Leafs vs. Habs Hockey Night in Canada matchup on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. ET.
(Photo: Dan Hamilton / Imagn Images)
