BUFFALO, N.Y. — Matt Murray, the Toronto Maple Leafs’ goalie, felt a rush of emotions as he prepared for his first NHL game in nearly 21 months. The 30-year-old netminder, who has won the Stanley Cup twice, made sure to savor every moment during the pregame warmups and national anthem. Following his impressive 25-save performance and the final buzzer signaling a 6-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres, the wave of relief was even more pronounced as he was embraced by his teammates.
“This was a significant release for me,” commented Murray, reflecting on the grueling rehabilitation process he underwent after bilateral hip surgery over the past year. “It felt like a challenge, and it was a long road—a huge mountain to climb. However, I kept this moment in my mind on those tough days.”
Murray is widely recognized for his early career with the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he clinched two Stanley Cups, including one during his rookie season in 2015-16, in which he achieved a 15-6 playoff record. The victory on Friday marked the 147th win in Murray’s career and was the first since his 33-save game in a 6-2 win over Florida on March 23, 2023. His last full start was a loss to Carolina just two days later, and he also saw limited action in a backup role in a subsequent loss to Detroit.
Over the past year, Murray faced an uncertain future, questioning whether he would return to the NHL while working to regain his form with the Toronto Maple Leafs’ AHL affiliate. He completed last season with a 1-2 record in three appearances and had impressively posted a 4-1-2 record, including a shutout, prior to his call-up on Friday. The team needed him as fellow goalie Anthony Stolarz was sidelined due to knee surgery with an estimated recovery time of four to six weeks.
Coach Craig Berube expressed confidence in Murray’s capabilities before the game, stating that he “still has a fire inside.” Following the match, Berube acknowledged Murray’s composure throughout the game. “I didn’t see too much emotion,” he said. “He was focused and committed to getting back to the NHL. He’s been through a lot, and I’m really happy for him.”
Throughout the game, Murray made important stops in the opening two periods. He also benefited from Toronto’s offensive efforts, leading to a 5-1 advantage against the struggling Sabres, who have now gone 0-9-3 in their last 12 games. The officials played a part as well, disallowing two goals from Buffalo.
One disallowed goal from Alex Tuch would have evened the score at 1 during the first period due to a high stick penalty assessed to Jason Zucker on a play involving Toronto’s Chris Tanev. Zucker received a double-minor penalty for causing injury. Next, Owen Power had a goal ruled out that could have reduced the deficit to 5-4 late in the game. Toronto successfully challenged for goalie interference on Buffalo’s Sam Lafferty, confirming that Lafferty’s skate had contacted Murray’s stick just before Power’s shot.
Regarding the second disallowed goal, Murray remarked, “I had no chance. I was really hoping they’d come to the right decision, and I believe they did.”
The Maple Leafs team celebrated Murray’s resilience and exceptional play, aware of the challenges he faced during his recovery. “To maintain that focus every day for such a long time is incredible,” stated forward Max Domi. “That’s something that you, as media or fans, don’t see, but we as players do. He’s an inspiration for us all, and we couldn’t be happier for him.”