Maple Leafs Conquer Canadiens 5-2 in Season Opener, But Questions Remain

The Toronto Maple Leafs kicked off their season on a high note, securing a 5-2 victory over their historic rivals, the Montreal Canadiens. While the final score suggests a dominant performance, the game was a hard-fought battle that was much closer than the box score indicates. Two empty-net goals in the final 92 seconds ultimately padded the scoreline and sealed the win for Toronto.

The opening night victory showcased some major bright spots for the Maple Leafs, but also highlighted a few areas needing improvement as the season gets underway.

Stolarz and Rielly Steal the Show

The two best players on the ice for the Maple Leafs were the reliable Anthony Stolarz and a surprisingly rejuvenated Morgan Rielly.

In his first meaningful action since being injured during last season's playoff run, Stolarz was a rock in net. He turned aside 29 of 31 shots, posting a stellar .933 save percentage. Seeing the Leafs' number one goaltender looking sharp and back at 100% is a massive boost for the team's confidence moving forward.

While Stolarz's excellence was expected, Morgan Rielly's performance was an unexpected and welcome revelation. After seasons of looking a step behind the play, a reported conversation in June with general manager Brad Treliving about his conditioning seems to have paid immediate dividends.

Against the Canadiens, Rielly was all over the ice, looking quicker and more sure-footed than he has in years. He logged just under 21 minutes of ice time and led all skaters with 5 shots on goal. This new, aggressive version of Rielly is a critical addition to the Leafs' blue line. His willingness to shoot the puck could make the entire offense more dangerous. While it's unlikely Rielly will hit the 20-goal plateau again, starting the season with the game-winning goal and an assist is a fantastic start.

Room for Improvement from the Superstars

On the other end of the spectrum, superstars Auston Matthews and William Nylander had uncharacteristically quiet nights, despite both finishing on the scoresheet.

Nylander nabbed an assist on the opening power-play goal but was effectively neutralized by the Habs' defenders at five-on-five. He managed to add a late assist on Matthews' empty-netter before scoring one of his own, but his overall impact was limited.

Matthews, at times, looked lost offensively. While he maintained his strong two-way game, the captain had only one shot on goal—the empty-netter he scored himself. We can chalk it up to building chemistry with new linemates and his historical tendency for slow starts. However, if the Maple Leafs are going to make a deep run this year, Auston Matthews has to be a driving force on offense.

A Win is a Win

As head coach Craig Berube said after the game, the Leafs have items to clean up. But in the end, they secured two points against a division rival to start the season. The team got the win, and now it's on to the next one.