The Toronto Maple Leafs couldn’t have asked for a better comeback from goaltender Anthony Stolarz, who stepped back into the crease after an eight-week absence and delivered a rock-solid performance.
Before his injury on Dec. 12 requiring a knee procedure to remove what he described as a “pebble” Stolarz was on a tear, boasting a .953 save percentage in his last four starts. He ranked among the NHL’s elite in key goaltending stats, including save percentage, goals-against average, and goals saved above expected.
“He was on fire. He single-handedly won games for us,” said Leafs forward William Nylander. “It’s nice to have a guy like that back in the lineup. Hopefully, he’s feeling good.”
If there were any concerns about rust, Stolarz quickly silenced them, stopping 27 shots in a commanding 3-1 win over the Seattle Kraken.
“I felt really good in there,” Stolarz said. “Coming back, I just wanted to have fun, ease back into it, and not worry too much about the results.”
Medically cleared for over a week, Stolarz took his time returning, ensuring he was fully game-ready. That patience paid off. In the opening period, he made a jaw-dropping sequence of saves, including a sprawling stop on Mitchell Stephens. His confidence only grew, flashing his glove on a shot from Brandon Montour before smirking at his former Florida Panthers teammate. He later made an unorthodox stickless save on Shane Wright, a technique he credited to former goaltending partner Sergei Bobrovsky.
The Leafs bench fed off Stolarz’s energy.
“We’re comfortable with either one of those goalies in our net,” said Mitch Marner, referring to Stolarz and Joseph Woll. “He made some massive saves for us to keep that game how it was.”
Toronto now heads to Vancouver, looking to cap off a perfect four-game western road trip.
A Surprising Icebreaker
Heading into Thursday’s game, all 18 of Toronto’s most recent goals came from their top-six scorers—Nylander, John Tavares, Auston Matthews, Matthew Knies, Marner, and Bobby McMann.
That streak was finally broken by defenseman Philippe Myers, who hadn’t scored in the NHL since November 2022.
“It’s really nice to see it go in,” Myers said. “Happy to chip in offensively … lucky to get a bounce, but I’ll take it.”
The Leafs, struggling to get scoring from their defense, needed that moment. Entering the game, they ranked last in the league in goals from defensemen, with just 12.
Knies’ Goal Stirs Controversy
Matthew Knies redirected a puck past Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord for his 21st goal of the season—but even he wasn’t sure it would count.
Seattle immediately argued that Knies had deflected the puck with a high stick, but after a lengthy review, officials ruled that there wasn’t enough evidence to overturn the goal.
Playing it cool, Knies sent Jake McCabe ahead to take the credit in the celebration, just in case the ruling didn’t hold up.
“I was kind of trying to hide it a little bit,” Knies admitted. “I knew it was a questionable call. Luckily, it stood.”
Marner’s Milestone Night
Mitch Marner’s week took a bizarre turn when he suffered unexpected muscle spasms after unwinding at a spa in Calgary. The discomfort forced him to miss his first game of the season Tuesday night.
“I’m not sure how it really happened. It was just bizarre,” Marner said.
But in his return, he didn’t skip a beat. Marner recorded his 500th NHL assist on Myers’ goal, making him just the fourth Leaf to reach that milestone. He’s also the third-fastest active player to hit 500 assists, trailing only Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid.
“It’s really cool. I don’t normally care much for personal achievements, but a lot of credit goes to the guys around me,” Marner said.
Myers had no hesitation in praising Marner’s all-around excellence.
“He’s the best player in the league,” he declared.
When asked why, Myers didn’t hesitate.
“He does everything. He’s fun to watch every night.”
