Tavares steals and Nylander cashes on the breakaway
William Nylander’s stellar performance powered the Toronto Maple Leafs past the Calgary Flames, 4-2, at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Monday. Nylander scored once and added two assists, continuing his dominance against Calgary.
“I thought our line was generating a lot of chances, so I wanted to build on that,” Nylander said, crediting linemates Matias Maccelli and John Tavares.
Maple Leafs Rally After Losing Streak
The victory snapped a six-game losing stretch for Toronto. Matias Maccelli, Troy Stecher, and Bobby McMann also scored for the Maple Leafs, who now sit at 26-21-9. Goalie Joseph Woll made 28 saves to secure the win.
Coach Craig Berube praised Woll’s effort. “He had to make diving saves and second- and third-effort stops. He was solid tonight,” Berube said.
Flames Fight Back Too Late
For Calgary, Nazem Kadri and Joel Farabee each contributed a goal and an assist. Flames goalie Dustin Wolf stopped 18 shots, but Calgary has now lost six of seven games.
Kadri acknowledged the team’s effort. “We came close to tying the game several times. We deserved better, but sometimes you have to find a way to make a play,” he said.
Quick Start Sets the Tone
Nylander opened the scoring just 35 seconds into the first period. He capitalized on a breakaway, snapping a high-slot shot past Wolf. The play began with Tavares intercepting a pass from Jonathan Huberdeau.
“It was a great play by John. He set me up perfectly,” Nylander said. “It felt good to score early, especially after recent losses.”
Maccelli and Stecher Extend Lead
Maccelli made it 2-0 at 7:17 of the second period. Nylander stole the puck from Flames forward Morgan Frost and fed a backhand pass to Maccelli, who scored on a one-timer. It was Maccelli’s first goal since Jan. 10.
Stecher added a third goal at 9:10, finishing a play started by Nylander. Berube praised the teamwork. “It was a great 4-on-4 goal. The movement was perfect, and Nylander made a smart play to him.”
Flames Respond
Kadri scored at 13:15, roofing a shot over Woll’s left shoulder. Farabee followed with a goal at 15:46, cutting the lead to 3-2.
“There’s no quit in this locker room,” Farabee said. “We battled hard, and our leaders pushed us.”
Woll Shines in Third
Woll stopped all 13 shots he faced in the third period, including a diving poke from Adam Klapka and a near-crossbar save on Matt Coronato. “I don’t even know what happened,” Woll said. “Thank God it didn’t go in.”
McMann sealed the win with an empty-net goal at 19:35. Berube credited the goalie and defensive effort. “Our goalie was great, and our guys competed hard. We blocked a lot of shots tonight.”
Nylander’s Continued Dominance
Nylander now has 36 points (13 goals, 23 assists) in 26 career games against the Flames. Woll remains undefeated against Calgary, standing at 5-0-0. Toronto has won eight straight games versus Calgary, marking their longest active streak against any opponent.
The Maple Leafs’ win highlighted teamwork, timely scoring, and Nylander’s playmaking ability. With momentum returning, Toronto looks to extend its winning streak in upcoming games.
