TORONTO — In an exciting matchup on Thursday evening, the Toronto Maple Leafs triumphed over the Anaheim Ducks with a score of 3-2, thanks to an impressive performance from Max Pacioretty, who recorded two goals along with an assist.
William Nylander also contributed to the scoreboard with a goal of his own, while John Tavares provided two assists for the Maple Leafs, marking their second consecutive victory. The game saw Anthony Stolarz starting as the goaltender for Toronto, but he was forced to leave the match due to a lower-body injury after making seven saves. Joseph Woll stepped in for the second period and finished with a total of 19 saves.
On the other side, Jackson LaCombe stood out for the Ducks with a goal and an assist, while Frank Vatrano netted one goal and Ryan Strome contributed two assists. This loss marked the Ducks’ fifth in a row. Lukas Dostal was in goal for Anaheim and made 30 saves throughout the game.
The Maple Leafs kicked off the scoring in the first period with goals from Pacioretty and Nylander, establishing a 2-0 lead. The Ducks responded when Vatrano scored a power-play goal with just over four minutes left in the first period to narrow the deficit.
Pacioretty found the back of the net for the second time in the second period, giving Toronto a 3-1 lead, but LaCombe quickly answered back with a goal of his own just over a minute later.
In terms of notable incidents, the Maple Leafs informed that Stolarz had sustained a lower-body injury and was seen shaking out his right leg after the Ducks’ first goal. The Ducks, meanwhile, welcomed back Robby Fabbri to the lineup after he had undergone his fifth knee surgery less than a month prior, initially expected to be out for six to eight weeks. Additionally, Trevor Zegras is set to be sidelined for six weeks following surgery on his right knee to repair a torn meniscus.
A critical moment of the game came when Mason McTavish sped down the wing for a partial breakaway with just under two minutes left in the first period, but Stolarz made an impressive arm save to maintain the lead for his team.
One noteworthy statistic from the game is that the Maple Leafs managed to score first for only the 14th time in their 29 games this season. They currently boast the NHL’s best winning percentage when they score first, sitting at .893 with a record of 12-1-1.
Looking ahead, the Ducks will next face the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night as they wrap up a four-game road trip, while the Maple Leafs will travel to Detroit for their upcoming game.
