If you had told me at 6:30 p.m. that a Maple Leafs roster missing Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Chris Tanev, and Anthony Stolarz was going to systematically dismantle the New Jersey Devils, I would’ve asked what you were putting in your coffee. But here we are. In a gritty, “next man up” performance that would make any old-school hockey purist weep with joy, the Buds didn’t just survive—they thrived.
Behind a flawless 27-save performance from Joseph Woll and a relentless forecheck from the depth charts, Toronto secured a massive 4-0 victory at Scotiabank Arena.
THE BREAKDOWN: DEPTH AND DISCIPLINE
The vibe early on was nervous. With the big guns out, the Leafs needed someone to step up, and it was the “Identity Line” that answered the call.
- First Period: The Breakthrough. After a frantic start where Woll had to be sharp on Dawson Mercer and Timo Meier, the Leafs found their legs on the power play. At 5:39, Bobby McMann—who played like a man possessed all night—pounced on a setup from Nicholas Robertson to make it 1-0. The PK then had to survive a late-period John Tavares slashing penalty, setting the tone for a disciplined night.
- Second Period: Doubling Down. The Devils pushed hard in the middle frame, but Toronto’s defensive structure remained suffocating. Philippe Myers and Jake McCabe were absolute warriors, combined for a literal wall of blocked shots. At 5:36, Nicolas Roy extended the lead to 2-0, finishing off a beautiful sequence involving McMann and Robertson.
- Third Period: Slamming the Door. The game’s emotional peak came at 13:38 when Matthew Knies dropped the mitts with Nico Hischier. It was the “tough love” this team needed to see. Right after the scrap, Calle Jarnkrok buried a feed from Steven Lorentz to make it 3-0. Knies, not content with just a fighting major, stepped out of the box later to score the 4-0 dagger, assisted by the captain, John Tavares.
THE STARS OF THE GAME
- Joseph Woll: “The Brick Woll.” 27 saves, zero goals against. He was positionally perfect, tracking Jack Hughes’ high-danger chances with the calmness of a veteran. This was a statement start.
- Bobby McMann: 1 Goal, 1 Assist, and a physical presence that Jersey couldn’t handle. He’s proving he belongs in the top-six conversation when the lineup is healthy.
- Nicolas Roy: A goal and an assist while logging heavy minutes in a depleted center core. His 200-foot game was elite tonight.
- Jake McCabe: He didn’t score, but he led the team with 7 blocked shots. That is “bleeding blue” personified.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
If we’re being picky, the giveaway count was a bit high early in the game. Max Domi and Scott Laughton had a few neutral zone turnovers that could have been lethal against a faster team. We also saw Simon Benoit take a holding penalty in the second that put a lot of unnecessary pressure on a tired PK unit. Clean up the exits, and this team is dangerous.
THE FINAL WORD
The Leafs showed some serious heart tonight, proving they can grind out a win when the superstars are in the press box. Now if they can have this type of effort when they are back? That’s when some very interesting conversations can start happening
Next Up: We look to carry this momentum forward against the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday and hope the training room starts clearing out soon.