TORONTO — On Monday evening, the Toronto Maple Leafs secured a 5-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning, with William Nylander shining brightly by netting two goals and providing an assist. Auston Matthews, Max Pacioretty, and Matthew Knies also contributed to the scoreboard for the Maple Leafs, while Anthony Stolarz made an impressive 32 saves in goal. Mitch Marner played a key role as well, contributing two assists to the team’s efforts.

The Lightning saw goals from Nick Paul and Brayden Point but faced challenges throughout the game. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy had a tough night, allowing four goals on just 14 shots before being replaced midway through the second period by Jonas Johansson, who stopped 14 shots. Victor Hedman managed to get two assists for Tampa Bay, but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide.

Nylander got the scoring started early in the first period and later extended Toronto’s lead to 3-1 midway through the second frame. Pacioretty then added a long-range goal, pushing the lead to 4-1 and ending Vasilevskiy’s night in the net. Knies capped off the scoring for the Leafs in the second period, taking the game to 5-1.

This victory adds to Toronto’s morale, especially considering their recent playoff history against the Lightning, where they managed a series victory for the first time in the NHL’s salary cap era during the previous year’s playoffs.

In individual performances, Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov was relatively quiet after entering the game with the NHL’s top goal count of seven in the first four games. Toronto’s previously struggling power play, ranked 27th in the league, finally converted on their second opportunity, as Matthews was quick to capitalize on a rebound after Marner’s shot was not fully covered by Vasilevskiy.

A critical moment occurred when the Lightning had a chance to capitalize on a two-man advantage during the second period while trailing 4-1. However, Stolarz showcased his skills, managing to keep the Lightning off the scoreboard during that crucial stretch.

Notably, this game marked the 22nd instance where Toronto scored at least five goals in a game since the previous season. Only a handful of teams boast a higher tally of such performances, including the Colorado Avalanche and Detroit Red Wings.

As the season progresses, the Lightning will conclude their three-game road trip in New Jersey on Tuesday, while the Maple Leafs are set to visit Columbus the same evening.