What started as a low-event night ended with an electric third-period comeback win Wednesday. The stars came to play in that final frame, and it gave the Toronto Maple Leafs the push they needed for a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators.
Nashville came out flying to start the first. The opening two minutes were spent in the Leafs’ end, and Joseph Woll needed to be sharp to stop a few of the Predators’ shots. His team didn’t get one of its own until the 15:11 mark. The Predators opened the scoring as the Leafs started to tilt the ice in their favour; Jonathan Marchessault capitalized off a funny bounce to score his fifth of the season.
The Leafs needed to be more cohesive to start the middle frame. Turnovers stopped O-zone pressure or prevented them from breaking out of the zone altogether, and although they got shots on Juuse Saros, they were low-danger and mainly from the perimeter.
Coach Craig Berube shook up the lines a bit in the third, reuniting Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, which led to two quick goals for the Leafs. William Nylander scored his team-leading 16th of the season, putting the game out of sight for Nashville until Mark Jankowski’s first made it a one-goal game with a little over three minutes remaining. Despite some bad empty-net luck, the Leafs held on until the end of regulation.
The Leafs played with more urgency in the third period. Woll still needed to make some good saves to hold Nashville back, but Toronto’s best players got the job done offensively. The third alone secured the victory, though the sloppiness of the first two periods can’t be ignored. The Leafs get a B for this one.
Player reports
Fraser Minten: A+
Another game full of smart, noticeable decisions at both ends of the ice for the entire 60 minutes. Minten had two close calls on the power play, re-directing Nylander’s shot and following up with a rebound chance.
He continued racking up chances in tight and also tried creating rebound opportunities for his linemates. Minten got a new line with John Tavares and Nylander in the third and continued getting scoring chances, finishing the game with five shots and seven hits.
Mitch Marner: A
It looked like it would be one of those nights for Marner after he was robbed of a goal thanks to the tie-up from Adam Wilsby. All that changed later as he casually put up three assists in five minutes (it could’ve been a goal as well if the referee wasn’t in the way).
He also improved his penalty differential by drawing two calls. His defensive pressure on Steven Stamkos drew a tripping call to end Nashville’s power play and he got another after he stole the puck from Filip Forsberg and was tripped by Marchessault.
Joseph Woll: A-
That first goal was weird, and you can’t fault Woll on it. Marchessault’s shot hit the ledge, then the hob of his stick and landed right by him in the crease. It couldn’t have dropped in a worse spot. The Jankowski goal was a bit weird as well. Woll was out far to the right but the puck bounced off his skate and went in.
Woll wasn’t getting peppered with shots, but he made some key saves when called on. One of the better ones of the night came off a bad line change from the team in the second. I’d argue his best was on Colton Sissons short-handed.
Woll not even knocking the puck in by accident is nuts pic.twitter.com/Fx2lAR5LK7
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) December 5, 2024
Auston Matthews: A-
The captain is still revving things up from his return. He had two good looks in the first; the second went off the post. The first was a one-handed shot using his other hand to keep Brady Skjei at bay.
The chances finally turned into results with his two-goal third period. The second, in particular, stands out as he undressed Gustav Nyquist.
AUSTON MATTHEWS 🚨🚨
The Leafs take the lead! pic.twitter.com/IsMSYsK3bp
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) December 5, 2024
William Nylander: B+
Nylander’s speed and skating stood out in the first and second. It looked as if he had a goal-scoring play at the end of both periods. His power play wound up being the game-winner.
WILLIAM NYLANDER 🚨
It’s 3-1 Toronto! pic.twitter.com/uVkr67H1oo
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) December 5, 2024
Chris Tanev: B+
A stinging shot block off the inside of his skate on the power play from Roman Josi increased his lead league in the category tonight.
Matthew Knies: B
The no-look between-the-legs pass to Nylander was mighty fine and although he didn’t get a point on it, Knies finishing his check by the defensive blue line created the turnover for Maner and Matthews ahead of the second goal of the third.
John Tavares: B
All Tavares needed was an extra second for that empty-net goal to count. Shaky performance in the faceoff circle (43.8 percent), but a nice night all around.
Morgan Rielly: B
The third-period comeback started with Rielly’s rim pass to Marner along the boards. He took some chances to score himself, even taking a slot shot instead of bumping it to Matthews for a potential hat trick.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson: B
His stick checks on point, especially on Svechkov in the second.
Conor Timmins: B
Out-blocked Tanev tonight and had a few chances to score after Matthews’ second goal.
Simon Benoit: C+
No penalty is ideal, but that penalty in the third was unideal.
Philippe Myers: C+
He wasn’t afraid to wind up on slapshots from the point. Two hit the net, one hit and broke a stick and another caught Roman Josi in the ribs. He looked a bit shaky by the goal line and had a tough turnover in the second, but the rest of the team wasn’t perfect in that category, either.
Connor Dewar: C+
Good job pressuring the entry on the penalty kill, whether it’s at the defensive blue line or right as the carrier is about to enter the Leafs’ end. He kept it up in the third as Nashville pushed for offence.
Pontus Holmberg: C
There were times when the offensive instincts needed to play with the likes of Marner and Tavares were there — like his give-and-go with Marner for the tap-in — but more times when they were not.
Nikita Grebenkin: C
Grebenkin played the fewest of any Leaf at 7:31. Physical night on the fourth line but no shots, unlike his other performances.
Nick Robertson: C
One shot, one block, quick in the zone but still not getting to the dirty areas enough.
Steven Lorentz and Ryan Reaves: C
The two had the exact stat line: one shot and three hits.
Game Score
Editor’s note: At the time of publication, the game stat card was not available. This story will be updated to include it once it’s available.
What’s next for the Leafs?
The homestand continues as the Leafs welcome the Metropolitan Division-leading Washington Capitals on Friday at 7 p.m. ET on TSN4.
(Photo: Dan Hamilton / Imagn Images)
