SALT LAKE CITY — In a thrilling matchup, Mitch Marner scored the decisive goal in the shootout, leading the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 4-3 victory over the Utah Hockey Club on Monday night. The win marked a return to form for Toronto, who had been struggling with a three-game losing streak.
Toronto’s offensive efforts were bolstered by contributions from William Nylander, Calle Jarnkrok, and Steven Lorentz, who all found the back of the net during regulation. The team’s goaltender, Joseph Woll, showcased his skills with 30 saves, playing a key role in stymieing Utah’s comeback attempt.
Utah put up a strong fight, having won four out of their last six games prior to this matchup. Nick Schmaltz, Barrett Hayton, and Michael Carcone delivered clutch goals to challenge the Maple Leafs. Karel Vejmelka, Utah’s goaltender, gathered 23 saves in a valiant effort against Toronto’s attack.
The shootout was intensely competitive, with Auston Matthews scoring for Toronto and Clayton Keller keeping Utah in the game with his equalizer.
In the opening stages, the Maple Leafs capitalized on power-play opportunities with Nylander and Jarnkrok striking twice in the first period, securing a 2-0 advantage. Lorentz added to the lead at 4:48 of the second period, pushing it to 3-0. However, Utah clawed back as Carcone ignited the comeback effort at 8:14 in the second period, with Schmaltz narrowing the gap to one goal shortly thereafter. Hayton tied the game with a power-play goal, evening the score with 7:49 remaining in the period.
Takeaways from the game highlighted the significance of this win for Toronto, as it brought them within two points of Atlantic Division-leading Florida, despite managing only one even-strength goal. For Utah, the resilience displayed in erasing a three-goal deficit against a formidable opponent earned them a hard-fought point.
The spotlight moment came with Marner’s game-winning shootout goal, a significant achievement in light of his recent trials surrounding trade discussions and free agency uncertainties.
An interesting statistic emerged, as this was only Toronto’s second shootout of the season and their first victory in such circumstances. Among NHL teams, only Carolina, Boston, and Edmonton remain without a shootout win this season.
Looking ahead, the Maple Leafs are set to host Florida on Thursday, while Utah will welcome Anaheim on Wednesday.
