NHL Game Recap: Maple Leafs Defeat Penguins 4-2 in Home Opener

Toronto Maple Leafs Captain Auston Matthews #34 and John Tavares #91

The Pittsburgh Penguins fell to the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 last night at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. Forward Evgeni Malkin (2A) led the way for the Pens, while goalie Joel Blomqvist made 29 saves on 32 shots. Forwards Max Domi (2A), Mitch Marner (1G, 1A), and William Nylander (2G) led the way for the Leafs, while goalie Anthony Stolarz made 21 saves on 23 shots.

Game Recap

With 9:02 to go in the first period, defenseman Kris Letang blasted a shot from the point to beat goalie Anthony Stolarz on the power-play to give the Penguins the 1-0 lead, and his first goal of the season.

Just 50 seconds into the second period, forward William Nylander netted his first goal of the season after getting a pass from forward Max Domi on a two-man breakaway to tie the game at 1-1. Then just less than three minutes into the period, Matthew Knies potted home his first goal of the season to give the Leafs the 2-1 lead. It is his fourth consecutive game scoring against the Penguins.

With just over two minutes played in the third period, forward Mitch Marner fired one past Blomqvist to give him his first goal of the season, and help extend the Leafs lead to 3-1. At the 7:31 mark, Evgeni Malkin dropped a pass to forward Rickard Rakell, who fired a shot past Stolarz, to cut the deficit to 3-2, and gave Geno his 1,300th career NHL point. It was also Rakell’s first goal of the season, and this was also the first even-strength goal that Stolarz has given up this season. Then with 22 seconds left, forward William Nylander potted an empty-net goal for his second goal of the game to give the Leafs the 4-2 lead, and the win.

Three Stars

TOR F Mitch Marner (1G, 2P)
TOR F Matthew Knies (1G)
TOR F William Nylander (2G)

Game Notes

PIT:

This was the 1,000th NHL Game that has starred both forwards Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, per Bob Grove. In those previous 999 games, Crosby has 476 goals and 1,264 points, while Geno has 421 goals and 1,099 points, with a record of 569-326-104.
Defenseman Kris Letang left the game after the first period but returned just two minutes into the second period after an equipment issue.
Forward Evgeni Malkin hit 1,300 career NHL points assisting on Rickard Rakell’s goal in the third period that made it 3-2, becoming the third active player to hit that milestone (PIT F Sidney Crosby, WSH F Alex Ovechkin).
Pens PP: 1/4 (25%)
Penguins Next Game: Oct. 14 @ MTL (7:30 PM EST)

TOR

Defenseman Chris Tanev left the game after the first period but returned just two minutes into the second period after a skate issue.
Forward John Tavares missed the game with an illness. The Leafs are now 8-0-0 without Tavares in the lineup since the 2021-22 season
TOR led shots 33-23
Leafs PP: 0/3 (0%)
Maple Leafs Next Game: Oct. 16 vs LAK (7:30 PM EST)