Joshua-Roy-McMann on fire, Stecher rewarded for excellent start

Joseph Woll was excellent when called upon, making 26 of 27 saves.

Here are three takeaways from the Maple Leafs’ 4-1 victory over the Panthers: 

Troy Stecher rewarded for excellent start with the Maple Leafs

Troy Stecher joined the Maple Leafs with an admitted chip on his shoulder, coming off waivers from the Oilers. Stecher has been excellent during his time with the club, and was finally rewarded with a critical goal to start the contest.

Prior to Tuesday’s game, Stecher posted a plus-two goal differential at 5-on-5, while the Maple Leafs controlled 62.5 percent of the expected goals and 54 percent of the shot attempts via Natural Stat Trick. Considering his uptick in usage with a wave of injuries, these are excellent numbers, which also matched the eye test. Stecher’s mobility and penchant for smart, quick exits provided the team with a new wrinkle on the blue line, and it’s certainly paying off three weeks into his tenure with the Maple Leafs.

“It’s great. I don’t do it often, so it feels nice when you get one,” Stecher said of his goal, post-game. “I told (Easton) Cowan and (Nick) Robertson I was going to get one tonight, and I actually did. I promise I tell myself that every game. It’s nice to contribute. It was a big goal at that moment, gave us a lead, and we never looked back.”

It was an outstanding game from Stecher, and he’s quickly proving to be one of Brad Treliving’s best additions thus far.

Dakota Joshua, Bobby McMann, Nicolas Roy should be the permanent third line

It took 26 games, but the Maple Leafs have found their permanent third line. Dakota Joshua, Nicolas Roy and Bobby McMann have caught fire over the past two games, and don’t appear to be looking back anytime soon.

We’ve gone over Joshua’s goal a few times in this space, but it’s worth another look. Joshua is playing with real confidence in the offensive zone, he’s making smart plays in tight spaces near the net, and he’s using his frame to run opponents over.

Joshua also drew a critical third-period penalty on Evan Rodrigues, allowing the Maple Leafs to eat up the clock with a 3-1 lead. He’s played his two best games of the year since being listed as a healthy scratch, and now the team has found a real, working third line.

Nicolas Roy was a menace in the faceoff circle, winning 12-of-15 draws on the evening. Roy set a strong screen on Stecher’s goal and many believed that he tipped the puck, although he refuted this during a first intermission interview.

Roy almost scored a beautiful, short-handed goal, working a 2-on-1 with Auston Matthews in the third period. Sergei Bobrovsky made a highlight-reel stop to rob Roy, but it didn’t deter the Leafs’ centre. He continued to win faceoffs, generate shots for his line, and it was a stellar game.

As for McMann, his speed, physicality (three hits) and offensive acumen were on full display. McMann’s biggest issue is his consistency, which could also be said of his linemates. Joshua-Roy-McMann outshot the Panthers 6-5, which looks more flattering to their opponent than it should. Toronto has found its third line, after a series of excellent games on the road.

The 5-forward power play experiment ought to be over

The five-forward power play experiment is officially over. Toronto allowed a short-handed goal to Sam Reinhart, a comedy of defensive errors. We’re not going to point out every error on the play, the video speaks for itself, and it was perhaps the lone real blemish on the evening.

We’re not assigning fault to the initial idea, as the Maple Leafs’ power play has been completely dormant this season, connecting at a 15.2 percent clip, the 27th-best total in the NHL. Holding a critical man advantage with 3:08 left in the third period, defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson joined the first power play unit. It’s likely that Ekman-Larsson will be the new power play quarterback entering Thursday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes.