The Toronto Maple Leafs continue their rise from the depths of NHL oblivion by blanking the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday night. The Maple Leafs got a fantastic performance from rookie goalie Dennis Hildeby. The 24-year-old went berserk, stopping all 24 shots he faced.
Hildeby recorded his first NHL shoutout in just his 15th appearance. Hildeby has filled in admirably for the injured Joseph Woll this season. With the win, the Maple Leafs pulled to within two points of the Lightning for the top spot in the Atlantic Division. The Bolts have now lost four straight.
The Maple Leafs got a first-period goal from defenseman Morgan Rielly. Here’s a look at the tally, as shown on the Maple Leafs’ official X account:
The goal was a fantastic second effort after fanning on the first shot attempt. The sequence started with a solid give-and-go between John Tavares and Easton Cowan. The duo continues to develop good chemistry, with it being on full display on Monday night.
Auston Matthews added an empty-netter with less than a second to go in the game to ice the win. Mattews hit the ice for over 20 minutes, generating several solid scoring chances. The Maple Leafs captain now has 11 goals in 23 games and continues to regain his scoring touch.
Maple Leafs Blueliner Injured against Lightning
While the Maple Leafs got a huge win, the victory had a sour taste to it. Blueliner Dakota Mermis took a knee-on-knee collision during the early part of the third period. The hit left the Leafs defenseman on the ice, wincing in pain.
Here’s a look at the hit:
Goncalves got a game misconduct for his hit. The situation got out of control, as a scrum broke out in the middle of the ice.
There is no telling how serious the injury was to the Maple Leafs defenseman. The Toronto rearguard will likely have an evaluation on Tuesday, potentially revealing the extent of his injury, if any. Hopefully, it’s nothing more than a bruise.
Otherwise, a knee injury could prove costly. The Leafs are already down a crucial defenseman in Chris Tanev. While Tanev could be nearing a return, that’s still not evident at this point.
Toronto to Face Upstart Sharks on Thursday
The Maple Leafs will get a much-needed break on Tuesday and Wednesday before hosting the upstart San Jose Sharks at Scotiabank Arena. The Sharks have been way better than expected this season. While they’re still not quite a playoff team, watching Macklin Celebrini will be an entertaining prospect for Leafs fans.
The game will mark the first meeting between the two clubs. The Maple Leafs will look to continue rolling and improve on their 6-2-2 mark in their last 10. A win could pull the Maple Leafs into a playoff spot.
Currently, there are five teams ahead of the Leafs for a wild card spot. So, it will be interesting to see if the Maple Leafs can close the gap and get back into serious contention for a playoff berth.
Maple Leafs Blank Lightning, Close in on Playoff Spot