Mapple Leafs reports: a family script, but a different ending against Blue Jackets

For most of the 5-0 victory of Toronto Maple Leafs on the Columbus Blue Jackets, the game followed a family script.
Despite having played a less talented opponent, the Maple Leafs started slowly and let Columbus dictate the pace of the game. The Blue Jackets won the 19-14 shot battle for two periods, but Toronto seemed ready to earn a close and relatively inspiring victory, thanks to Anthony Stolarz who holds his position between the pipes and Nick Robertson who had two quality finishes.
Instead of sitting in the third, Toronto put the pedal against the blue jackets. Columbus was not able to chase the game because the Maple Leafs were constantly in attack – And despite a little rejection in the last few minutes, Toronto has gained 85.27 percent of the objectives foreseen in the last period. Together with that dominant control of the game, two goals came from William Nylander and one by Auston Matthews, allowing a comfortable milestone.
Toronto did not impress from the beginning to the end, but he gained his second victory of five goals in the season with the strength of a third star. Okay for a “A”.
Unitary degrees
L1 (Matthew Knies – Auston Matthews – Mitch Marner): B+
In the first period and in most of the second, both Matthews and Mitch Marner were unusually silent, with the cardie at the center of the scene. The young striker had a couple of remarkable possibilities highlighted by an attempt by Michigan.
Carnie went to Michigan pic.twitter.com/y9njevnmpa
– Omar (@Tictactomar) April 5, 2025
Matthews and Marner woke up while the game proceeded and the Toronto top center even closed in the ninth season of 30 goals of his career with a Wrister at the end of the game.
TUCK n. 30 for the ninth consecutive season.
Auston Matthews. pic.twitter.com/bnurortuzi
– Toronto Maple Leafs (@mpleleafs) April 6, 2025
This line has had better and more consistent nights, but it is difficult to complain about their worker effort against Columbus.
L2 (Bobby Mcmann – John Tavares – William Nylander): a
The second line did not withdraw until later in the night, but provided a practical practical insurance at the beginning of the third period with a couple of nylander goals.
William Nylander 🚨
43rd of the season! pic.twitter.com/cjssuvqrqz
– Omar (@Tictactomar) April 6, 2025
William Nylander 🚨🚨
Bad change of Columbus! pic.twitter.com/upapw8is2y
– Omar (@Tictactomar) April 6, 2025
Elvis Merzlikins probably didn’t feel good with any of these scores, but Nylander bury more than his part of apparently low opportunities. Neither John Tavares nor Bobby Mcmann distinguished themselves on Saturday, but their lines made enough to put the game out of reach.
L3 (Scott Laughon- Max Domi- Calle Järkrok): c-
While Max Domi witnessed Robertson’s second goal during a change of line, the third line did not have a banner evening.
The Maple Leafs were over 6-2 in their minutes and did not provide anything in terms of quality possibilities. Probably, the greatest sign they played on the game was a penalty not recommended on Scott Laughton who gave Blue Jackets the opportunity to take an initial advantage.
Laughton is called for cross control pic.twitter.com/xue1ztahbe
– Omar (@Tictactomar) April 5, 2025
Denton Mateychuk may not agree with that evaluation, however, considering the way Domi influenced his evening.
Domi captures Mateychuk with a blow to the Ice center
(He also takes it with his stick after) pic.twitter.com/hsnt6hpw8s
– Omar (@Tictactomar) April 6, 2025
L4 (Steven Lorentz – Pontus Holmberg – Nick Robertson): a
The fourth row showed a remarkable life in his first pair of game shifts at a time when the same could not be said for the other units. The energy was rewarded with the first goal of the game while the Blue Jackets got clumsy in their area, Pontus Holmberg made an intelligent reading to find the trailing Robertson and the shooter beat Merzlikins.
Leafs open it 🫡pic.twitter.com/umicvrxuxp
– Sports on Prime Canada (@sportsonprimeca) April 5, 2025
This group was not done there, like Steven Lorentz has launched fists In the second period, and Robertson capitalized a brutal Columbus breakout to score again.
It goes there again! pic.twitter.com/m8ylr0yimu
– Toronto Maple Leafs (@mpleleafs) April 6, 2025
D1 (Oliver Ekman-Larsson-Chris Tanev): C
On a night when most of the Maples Leafs had strong ice numbers, Oliver Ekman-Larsson or Chris Tanev had a five out of five out of five 35 percent shooting, and were among the only four players of the team that were not present for any goals.
The couple’s performance was far from catastrophic, but it is difficult to say that they gave a strong positive contribution. Having said that, Tanev has reached a remarkable goal by establishing the record of blocks of a single season in Toronto.
With a shot stuck at 7:08 in the first period, Chris Tanev (177) set a new record of a single season of Maple Leafs for blocked blows, exceeding the sign established by Carl Gunnarsson (176) during the 2013-14 season.
– Leafs Pr (@leafspr) April 5, 2025
D2 (Morgan Rily – Brandon Carlo): a
Rielly and Carlo were the only two maple leaves with an evaluation of +3 in the victory; Both played at least 20 minutes and the Maples Leafs gained at least 70 percent of the shots in each of their five time.
Add three combined assists and you have an elegant night in the office.
D3 (Simon Benoit – Philippe Myers): B
The absence of Jake McCabe left Toronto using a third couple with some limitations of movements, but the duo resisted well on Saturday.
Neither Simon Benoit nor Philippe Myers exceeded 16:05 or the time of ice, but they published solid possession numbers and were on the ice for two goals.
Benoit also showed his physicality with a Third period fight.
Power Play: B-
Toronto had a single power game opportunity and did not convert, but the first unit did a good job in maintaining possession. The first -rate possibilities had elusive, but you give more opportunities, it is not difficult to imagine a different result.
Criminal Centality: a-
The Maplet Leafs PK unit was called only once, and did not allow Columbus to go far. The Blue Jackets produced two shots on the net and only 0.2 objectives expected with the advantage of Man.
Goalkeeper (Anthony Stolarz): B
In Stolarz it was not asked to be spectacular in his second Shatout of the season, but the blue jackets put a constant flow of shots on the net, In the first two periods. If the American Netminder had had a poor night, the Maples Leafs could have found themselves chasing in a game where they didn’t have much offensive juice at the beginning.
Instead, Stolarz was stable, removing 27 shots.
The Blue Jackets managed a scheduled goal for relatively modest 1.62 during the night, but goalkeeper Maple Leafs has not given them anything.
Game score
What’s the next?
The Maple Leafs heads to Sunrise, Florida, to face the panthers on Tuesday at 19:00 Et on Tsn
(Photo: Nick Turkeyro / Image images)