Stolarz excellent, Leafs power play shines to beat Oilers

Article content

It is fitting, during this difficult season, that the Maple Leafs have put together a good run of momentum and it’s all coming to a halt.

Article content

In their final game before the Winter Olympic break, the Leafs scored two power-play goals in the third period on Tuesday night in Edmonton to beat the Oilers 5-2.

Article content

Article content

The Leafs, who next play on Feb. 25, go into the break with three consecutive victories.

After the Leafs didn’t have a power play in their previous two games and in three of their previous four, John Tavares and Matias Maccelli scored 31 seconds apart with Oilers in the penalty box.

Sitting at the back door, Tavares converted a William Nylander pass at 7:42 to score the Leafs’ first 5-on-3 goal of 2025-26. Maccelli provided insurance at 8:13 with a one-timer past Oilers goalie Connor Ingram.

Article content

Article content

Tavares broke a 2-2 tie after former Leafs winger Kasperi Kapanen scored early in the third period.

Bobby McMann, the subject of trade rumours involving the Oilers, scored into an empty net.

Playoffs remain a challenge

The odds remain firmly against the Leafs’ chances of making the playoffs.

They are five points behind the Boston Bruins for the second Eastern Conference wild-card spot. The Bruins have one more game before the break, on Wednesday in Florida against the Panthers.

Anthony Stolarz was excellent in the Leafs net, making 34 saves. He made several lunging saves to win for the first time since Nov. 5.

Article content

In a lively and intense match, there were great chances at both ends before the Leafs took a 1-0 lead at 7:12 of the second period.

Maccelli perfectly deflected a Jake McCabe point shot to fool Ingram.

Within minutes, the teams scored nine seconds apart.

A Jake Walman blast got through Stolarz at 11:09; then, Matthew Knies scored on a pass from Nicolas Roy at 11:18 after Ingram turned the puck over.

Darnell Nurse fought Brandon Carlo after the Leafs defenceman caught Connor McDavid with a clean hit in the neutral zone. The scrap came two minutes before the Maccelli goal.

On the whole, the Leafs did an effective job defending against McDavid. He had his usual flashes, but did not record a point.

What’s next for the Leafs?

During the Winter Olympics, National Hockey League teams can start practising again on Feb. 17.

The Leafs will resume their schedule in Tampa Bay against the Lightning in three weeks. They will have 25 games in total — 10 at home and 15 on the road — remaining in their regular season.

The first six post-Olympic games for Toronto come before the NHL trade deadline on March 6 at 3 p.m. ET.

tkoshan@postmedia.com

X: @koshtorontosun

Article content