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Marner Ignites Maple Leafs to Triumph, Derails Canadiens 4-1

Mitch Marner shined on the ice, contributing with a goal and an assist to lengthen his point streak to an impressive eight games, propelling the Toronto Maple Leafs to a decisive 4-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on a frosty Saturday night. William Nylander followed suit, also providing a goal and an assist, aiding the Leafs to their third successive triumph.

Leafs Dominate as Woll and Rielly Shine

John Tavares and Conor Timmins joined the goal scorers, while Joseph Woll, Toronto’s goalkeeper, performed admirably with 20 saves. Morgan Rielly made his mark, reaching a career milestone with an assist that places him as the third Leafs defenseman to achieve 400 in his career. He now stands alongside legends Borje Salming (620) and Tomas Kaberle (437).

Montreal’s sole goal came from Brendan Gallagher. Canadiens’ goalkeeper, Sam Montembeault, managed to stop 23 shots, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Canadiens from tumbling to a 0-5-1 record over their last six encounters.

Matthews Absence, Power Play Success, and Marner’s Key Goal

Toronto’s captain, Auston Matthews, remained absent from the line-up for the third consecutive game due to an upper-body injury. However, he was seen practicing on Saturday, hinting at a potential return on Tuesday.

Canadiens Struggle While Leafs’ Power Play Shines

The Canadiens have been struggling significantly, being outscored 29-12 during their losing streak. Meanwhile, Maple Leafs’ power play has been a shining beacon, connecting twice and improving to 8 for 14 since the previous weekend, after starting the season at a sluggish 3 for 39.

Marner’s Crucial Contribution

A key moment that turned the tide in Toronto’s favor occurred in the second period. While the Leafs were down a man, David Kampf, seemingly cornered, found Marner in front of the goal. Marner seized the opportunity, netting his fourth goal of the season.

Leafs Continue Home Dominance

This result marked Toronto’s ninth consecutive regular-season home victory over Montreal since April 7, 2021. This equals the longest home winning streak between the two clubs. Despite this, the Canadiens managed to topple the Leafs three times during the 2021 playoffs at the Scotiabank Arena, overturning a 3-1 series deficit to triumph in seven games.

What’s Next for Canadiens and Maple Leafs?

The Canadiens will next face the Buffalo Sabres in a Monday matinee, while the Maple Leafs will be hosting the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday.