In an electrifying display of skill and perseverance, rookie Fraser Minten netted his first NHL goal, propelling the injury-plagued Toronto Maple Leafs to a decisive 3-0 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday night. With a power-play strike at the 3:01 mark in the third period, William Nylander chalked up his 13th goal of the season. The scoring was rounded off by Pontus Holmberg’s empty netter, further sealing the Leafs’ domination.
Woll’s First Shutout of the Season
Joseph Woll, the Leafs’ goaltender, was in fine form, deflecting all 31 shots on goal, earning his maiden shutout of the season. On the other end of the rink, Vegas’ goalie, Adin Hill, put up a solid defense with 23 saves. The victory marks Toronto’s sixth win in their last seven outings, while Vegas suffered its second consecutive defeat, delaying coach Bruce Cassidy’s 400th career win.
Matthews and Stone: Captains Absent from the Rink
Both teams battled it out sans their captains – Toronto’s Auston Matthews sidelined due to an upper-body injury, missing his seventh consecutive game, and Vegas’ Mark Stone, out with a lower-body injury, absent for his sixth match. The Leafs’ roster was further depleted with the absence of Max Domi, David Kampf, Max Pacioretty, and Calle Jarnkrok. Simultaneously, Ryan Reaves began serving his five-game suspension for an illicit check to the head against Darnell Nurse of the Oilers.
Game-Changing Moment
The match’s dynamics took a turn when Leafs’ forward Matthew Knies was floored by a mid-ice hit from Zach Whitecloud in the second period, right in front of the Leafs’ bench. Whitecloud escaped without a penalty for the crippling hit but received a minor roughing penalty for his altercation with Simon Benoit of the Leafs, who earned a four-minute penalty for his attempted retribution. The game’s intensity escalated post this incident. Unfortunately, Knies, suffering an upper-body injury, did not return to the match.
Key Statistic of the Game
The Leafs successfully fended off the NHL’s second-best power play unit, restricting Vegas to 0 for 3 on their power plays.
What’s Next?
The Toronto Maple Leafs are preparing to conclude a three-match homestand on Sunday, facing off against the Utah Hockey Club, while Las Vegas is set to continue its five-game road trip in Ottawa on Thursday.
