3 Things We Learned in Maple Leafs' 2-1 Win Over the

The Toronto Maple Leafs opened their back-to-back with a 2-1 win over the New York Islanders, and something about how they won was encouraging. Auston Matthews and William Nylander didn't carry the night. It wasn't some wild offensive explosion. Instead, Toronto got the kind of contributions a team needs if it wants to be more than a collection of expensive stars.

So, here are three things Maple Leafs fans learned about their team.

First, Anthony Stolarz looked very comfortable.

Stolarz was really calm. The Islanders tested him early, but he never seemed to get himself into trouble. He stayed in his crease, tracked the puck well and didn't appear to be fighting the puck or his positioning. That might sound small, but it isn't. Goaltending can get frantic quickly. Stolarz looked like he knew exactly where he was and what he was doing.

He also got plenty of help. The team in front of him blocked shots, cleared lanes and boxed Islanders players out. Stolarz acknowledged that after the game. And then Sergei Bobrovsky came over to congratulate him. There was no drama there. Just two goalies who apparently understand that they are going to need each other.

That could become an important part of this season.

Second, Easton Cowan is starting to look like a real piece of the puzzle.

Cowan stood out almost immediately. He scored the power-play goal, assisted on Colton Sissons' goal, and seemed involved in everything. But what was most interesting wasn't simply the offence. He was reading the game. He anticipated plays, created turnovers, applied back pressure, and found open space. That's the kind of stuff that allows a young player to contribute even when he isn't scoring.

Cowan is 21. He spent time with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies last season and helped them win a championship. Maybe some of that experience is beginning to show.

Third, the bottom six can actually win a hockey game.

This might have been the biggest takeaway. The Maple Leafs' stars created chances, but the bottom six scored. Sissons scored. Cowan scored. Stolarz stopped almost everything at the other end. That's important because Toronto can't expect its top players to carry every game.

If the bottom six can contribute like this, and the goaltending tandem can provide this kind of stability, the Maple Leafs suddenly have a little breathing room. And that's what depth is supposed to do.

The Maple Leafs need their entire team to win.

The Maple Leafs will still need their stars. But this game showed what can happen when everybody doesn't have to wait for Matthews, Nylander or another big name to save the night.

Maybe that's one of the early lessons of the Jim Hiller era: the Maple Leafs don't have to win every game the same way. And that might be the most encouraging thing about this 2-1 victory.