Sign Up to PPP Today

You have to be a member to comment at PPP. Membership is free and requires only an email address.

Become a Member

Alex Nylander made his Maple Leafs debut tonight, and this made the Nylanders the 13th set of brothers to play for the Maple Leafs, and the fifth pair to play on the same game.

the Super Nylander Bros

— Omar (@tictactomar.bsky.social) 2024-11-25T00:20:37.121Z

The Maple Leafs also played their first game against the new(ish) Utah Hockey Club, with the boringly named team in their boring jerseys, from the boring state, living up to their reputation.

Both teams bring it out of the gate, racking up five shots each in the first half of the period. Though the Maple Leafs were the only power play, and only ones making close shots that were a crossbar away from going in, with Pontus Holmberg ringing one off, one good angle away from opening the score.

Holmberg's shot goes off the crossbar

— Omar (@tictactomar.bsky.social) 2024-11-25T00:28:15.337Z

Maveric Lamoureux cross-checked Nick Robertson, and that gave us first power play unit player Fraser Minten?

Dylan Gunther made the second mistake, by tripping Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and we almost got the go ahead goal.

almost a tap-in for Minten

— Omar (@tictactomar.bsky.social) 2024-11-25T00:37:43.882Z

Late in the first, Jake McCabe knocks the stick out of the hand of Nick Bjugstad

McCabe is called for interference

— Omar (@tictactomar.bsky.social) 2024-11-25T00:47:01.931Z

Utah does what Toronto don't and opens the scoring quickly on the power play by a Logan Cooley shot front the top of the circle.

Logan Cooley scores on the power play

— Omar (@tictactomar.bsky.social) 2024-11-25T00:48:43.904Z

With that goal, the first period ends 1-0 Utah, despite a couple close chances for the Leafs.

Tavares lines up with the Nylander brothers after the power play goal against

— Omar (@tictactomar.bsky.social) 2024-11-25T00:51:26.044Z

At the start of the second Nikita Grebenkin gets caught up behind the Utah net with a couple players and ends up with Kevin Stenlund's stick between his skates and goes down. No call.

*shrugs*

— Omar (@tictactomar.bsky.social) 2024-11-25T01:14:43.097Z

Mitch Marner takes that personally, and catches a John Tavares pass from behind the net at centre ice and gets a clean breakaway, leading to the game tying goal with some of that Magic Mitch we've known and loved.

MITCH MARNER 🚨 Breakaway goal! What a pass from Tavares

— Omar (@tictactomar.bsky.social) 2024-11-25T01:18:54.666Z

Utah is bad again, taking their third penalty when Maveric Lamoureux is once again called for a penalty against Nick Robertson.

The power play is warming up, coming close and getting the fans on their feet but go 0-3.

the second unit got a lot of looks

— Omar (@tictactomar.bsky.social) 2024-11-25T01:24:05.133Z

Mikhail Sergachev feels bad for them, and trips Alex Steeves so the Leafs go right back to the power play and Mitch Marner won't stand for another power play failure. So he puts the Leafs up 2-1.

MITCH MARNER 🚨🚨 Power play goal, banked it in of Vejmelka

— Omar (@tictactomar.bsky.social) 2024-11-25T01:27:50.075Z

The play got Fraser Minten his first NHL assist

Inspired by Marner, William Nylander fights for the puck, gets his own breakaway, and makes it 3-1.

WILLIAM NYLANDER 🚨 Defence to offence creates another breakaway!

— Omar (@tictactomar.bsky.social) 2024-11-25T01:30:18.237Z

Utah calls a time out. Will it help?

No. They took a too many men on the ice penalty, lol.

Utah is falling apart a bit. Thirty seconds into the power play, Logan Cooley dips down behind Marner and trips him up, and the non-call gets everyone a little rowdy in the corner. The end result makes it five on three for 1:24 when Jack McBain is called for hooking.

The Leafs didn't like this clip by Cooley on Marner

— Omar (@tictactomar.bsky.social) 2024-11-25T01:38:15.023Z

Crouse tried to go at Steeves Benoit stepped in and laughed

— Omar (@tictactomar.bsky.social) 2024-11-25T01:33:45.331Z

No goals were scored on the five on three.

The second period ends much better than the first. Leafs up 3-1 after scoring three straight goals, two on breakaways. Leading in shots 27-18. Keep up that energy, Toronto.

Timmins casually breaking ankles

— Omar (@tictactomar.bsky.social) 2024-11-25T01:46:56.982Z

Early in the third Utah preps a comeback as Jack McBain makes up for his earlier penalty by scoring to cut the lead in half.

Jack McBain brings Utah within one

— Omar (@tictactomar.bsky.social) 2024-11-25T02:10:28.272Z

3-2 Toronto.

The Leafs start locking up their own end, with more blocked shots coming, and the shots are coming slower for Toronto.

But those shots are coming in nice and ise when they do. Nick Robertson hits the posts, Bobby McMann almost gets a tip in, but is denied at the last second.

Joseph Wi\oll has made plenty of saves this week, but this save to keep the Leafs lead, is his save of the night.

Utah pulls the goalie, the Leafs can't get that empty net goal, but hang on to win the game 3-2.

A great second period put the Leafs on top, Willy got to play with Alex again for the first time in a long time, Mitch scored twice, Minten got his first assist, and they held on and defended well to stop the comeback we feared.

The Hockey Club has been defeated.

With this win the Leafs are packing up for a road trip to Florida. Panthers are first up on Wednesday night.

See you then everyone!

Game notes:

  • Marner's second goal was his 202nd goal, moving him to 14th all time in Leafs scoring, passing Syl Apps.
  • Nylander's goal was his 231st, moving him into 11th all time, past Ted Kennedy.
  • Nylander's assist was his 321st, tying him with Doug Gilmour for 11th all time.

PPP Runs on Your Support

If you enjoy reading PPP Leafs, and want to see it continue, please consider becomming a paid subscriber. We want to keep all our content open to all users, but to be a sustainable site, we need more support from paid members.

Subscribe Now
Game Coverage