The Toronto Maple Leafs secured an overtime victory against the St. Louis Blues despite missing seven regular players. William Nylander scored the game-winning goal, highlighting the team's resilience amid a rash of injuries. Key absences include Auston Matthews and Chris Tanev, with returns expected soon for some.
The Toronto Maple Leafs faced a challenging matchup against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night, missing seven regulars due to injuries. Despite a thin bench, the team pushed through to victory, capped by William Nylander's overtime winner. This performance underscored their ability to adapt, with Joseph Woll providing steady goaltending in his first two games back and depth players like John Tavares contributing significantly.
Injuries have tested the Maple Leafs' depth early in the season. Matthew Knies sat out with a lower-body issue and is day-to-day, leading to Sammy Blais entering the lineup. Blais left early after a hard hit but returned quickly, recording an assist against his former team and confirming clean scans on Wednesday. He has been effective in a third-line role alongside Jacob Quillan.
Auston Matthews, sidelined by a lower-body injury, is doubtful for Thursday but optimistic for a Saturday return in Montreal, according to GM Brad Treliving. His absence, with nine goals and five assists this season, disrupts the top line's rhythm. Nicolas Roy is out for a few games with an upper-body injury, potentially missing until November 26, halting his emerging momentum.
On defense, Chris Tanev remains sidelined with an upper-body issue for at least another week, though he has resumed light work. His steady presence is missed, especially with Brandon Carlo also out due to an undisclosed injury. This has left the blue line, including Morgan Rielly, Jake McCabe, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, overextended, contributing to Toronto ranking 14th in the Eastern Conference defensively.
Goalie Anthony Stolarz is still unavailable with a lower-body injury and no timetable, forcing Woll to handle most duties. He performed well against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday. Coach Craig Berube's defensive system faces scrutiny amid 18 points in 19 games, but injuries are seen as the primary issue rather than coaching.
The 'Rule of 3' illustrates Toronto's challenges: they are 5-1-0 when scoring four or more goals but 1-7-1 when allowing four or more. Holding opponents under three goals yields a perfect 3-0 record. With potential returns looming, the Maple Leafs aim to stabilize and build on their recent grit.