What a fun game to watch.
The Toronto Maple Leafs’ “draft and develop” ability was on full display against the Vegas Golden Knights, as Joseph Woll earned a 31-save shutout, William Nylander set up Fraser Minten’s first NHL goal, and Nikita Grebenkin looked like a complete menace.
There were plenty of scrums and some questionable officiating, but the Leafs got the job done against a tough opponent with a 3-0 victory. The Leafs picked up their sixth win in seven games without their captain this season, and while they were outplayed in the second period, their overall team grade is an A after a gritty effort.
Joseph Woll: A+
Woll stopped all 31 shots that he faced to earn his second career shutout. His best stretch was in the early second period when he made several high-danger saves to maintain his team’s 1-0 lead. When’s the last time that you felt this good about a Leafs goaltending duo?
William Nylander: A+
Nylander made a phenomenal play to set up Minten’s first NHL goal nine minutes in. Nylander gained the zone, shielded off an elite defender in Alex Pietrangelo, showcased his beautiful edgework, and then made a perfect backhand pass to find Minten in the slot. He came close to scoring himself at the end of the period and set up Tavares for a great chance in the slot halfway through the second. He extended Toronto’s lead to two by beating Adin Hill through the five-hole on a power-play rush in the early third.
WILLIAM NYLANDER 🚨
The power play gives the Leafs the lead pic.twitter.com/5WwL2K5ovT
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) November 21, 2024
Nikita Grebenkin: A+
The 21-year-old made his NHL debut pretty darn quickly for someone who was a fifth-round pick in 2022. He looked like a freight train. He threw a big hit on Shea Theodore at the end of the first, and when a couple of Vegas’ players took exception, the Leafs took the puck on a two-on-one the other way. He then made a diving play to break up a two-on-one in the early second and set up Nylander for a great chance at the end of the second.
Grebenkin won a footrace and came close to scoring his first NHL goal halfway through the third, but Hill was up to the challenge. He looked like he belonged.
Fraser Minten: A
Minten made his season debut after a four-game stint with the Leafs last season, and he wasted no time making a name for himself. He opened the scoring nine minutes in, and he was just six seconds into his shift. He got off the bench and skated right to the slot, and following a wicked set-up by Nylander, Minten fired a one-timer past Hill. Craig Berube also trusted Minten on the penalty kill.
First NHL goal for Fraser Minten!! 💪
Congrats, Fraser!
📺: @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ ➡️ https://t.co/4KjbdjVctF pic.twitter.com/3KMAeYUzZP
— NHL (@NHL) November 21, 2024
Simon Benoit: A
Benoit returned to the lineup for the first time since Nov. 12, and he threw a pretty big hit on Brett Howden in the first. He stood up for his teammate after Zach Whitecloud caught Matthew Knies with a high hit halfway through the second, and then threw another big hit halfway through the third.
The shutdown pair (Jake McCabe and Chris Tanev): A
They’re both excellent defensively. Vegas has a great power play and a dangerous top line, but they never seemed fazed. McCabe was playing with an edge following the Knies injury, and he had a great scoring chance in the early third.
Mitch Marner: A
Marner was buzzing in the first period, but he did not have a point to show for it. He started with a dangerous short-handed chance off a partial breakaway three minutes in, but his shot missed the net. He then set up McCabe for a dangerous chance and came close to scoring on a deflection at the end of the opening frame.
Marner set up Tavares on the power play in the early third, and while Tavares hit the post, Marner picked up an assist on Nylander’s goal seconds later.
Steven Lorentz: A-
Lorentz was a shot-blocking machine. He put his body on the line shift after shift and finished with four blocked shots.
Alex Steeves: A-
Steeves made an excellent cross-ice pass to set up Morgan Rielly for a quality chance at the end of the first, but his teammate missed the net. He showed his coach that he can add some offensive flair on a fourth line that can use it.
Bobby McMann: B+
His line was excellent defensively. While he didn’t hit the scoresheet, he continues to look like an incredibly fast and hard-working forward.
John Tavares: B+
Tavares’ line spent all of their minutes in the offensive zone in the first, and he came close on a chance in the slot in the mid-second. He then threw down with Alexander Holtz in a scrum. He hit the post on a power-play chance in the early third, but Nylander scored moments later.
Pontus Holmberg: B+
He wasn’t overly noticeable, but he was playing top-six minutes against some tough lines. He put the game away with an empty-net goal.
Pontus Holmberg gets the empty-net goal for his first of the season 🚨 pic.twitter.com/gBB5exVALK
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) November 21, 2024
Nick Robertson: B+
Robertson fired a one-timer off a two-on-one rush at the end of the first, but he wasn’t able to beat Hill. He later set up McCabe for a great chance, but his teammate wasn’t able to capitalize either.
Connor Dewar: B
He wasn’t as noticeable as his linemates, but he was solid defensively both on the top penalty-kill unit and at five-on-five.
Conor Timmins: B
He made a great pass to set up Robertson for a one-timer at the end of the first, but his teammate wasn’t able to beat Hill. He later took a blatant penalty in the second, but his team bailed him out.
The offensive pair (Morgan Rielly and Oliver Ekman-Larsson): B-
Ekman-Larsson picked up a secondary assist on Toronto’s first goal and threw down with Howden after the whistle in the second. Rielly took a tripping penalty two minutes in, but his teammates bailed him out. The Leafs were outplayed a bit during their minutes, but they weren’t terrible.
Matthew Knies: N/A
Knies left the game with an injury in the second as Whitecloud caught him up high with a big hit.
Zach Whitecloud catches Matthew Knies with a high hit. pic.twitter.com/9DaenOV3zZ
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 21, 2024
Game score
What’s next?
Staying at home to play the Utah Hockey Club on Sunday at 7 p.m. on TSN.
(Photo of Fraser Minten after scoring his first career NHL goal: John E. Sokolowski / Imagn Images)
