Leafs Ring Iron Twice and Still Leave Vancouver Smiling
Stolarz holds firm while Matthews, Nylander and Blueger all find the net as the Canucks' hard season rolls on
The Toronto Maple Leafs won 4-2 in Vancouver, and the score probably undersold them. The Canucks threw more pucks at the net, with 61 shot attempts to Toronto's 53 and 29 shots to 28. But Toronto got the better looks. By expected goals, which measure how many goals a team's chances were worth, the Leafs were at 3.46 and Vancouver at 2.53.
It could have been more lopsided. Nick Paul and Oliver Ekman-Larsson each hit a post. Those two chances alone were worth 1.11 expected goals, which is more than one goal left on the iron.
Anthony Stolarz did his part at the other end. He stopped 27 of 29 shots and gave Vancouver's extra volume nowhere to go.
Teddy Blueger and William Nylander had a goal and an assist each, and Auston Matthews and Zack MacEwen also scored. For Vancouver, now 3-11-1, it was another night of shooting a lot and not getting enough of the good chances.
