Canadiens 5, Maple Leafs 2: One Team Set the Pace, the Other Chased
Some nights in the NHL tell you more about a team than a week’s worth of press conferences. This one in Montreal did just that. Two Canadian clubs, both looking for a foothold in a season that’s already starting to tilt on them, stepped onto the Bell Centre ice. Only one of them skated as if the game really mattered.
Montreal came in wounded, frustrated, and on a five-game slide. But from the opening shift, they looked like a team tired of explaining themselves. They played fast, layered hockey—the kind that forces mistakes rather than waits for them.
Toronto, on the other hand, looked like they were still searching for the power switch. The Maple Leafs had been talking all week about cleaning up the details, playing tighter, and being more resilient. But words don’t forecheck, and plans don’t cover backdoor passes.
When Montreal started stacking goals—Lane Hutson first, then two from Noah Dobson and Josh Anderson—the game turned into one of those nights when the Maple Leafs suddenly found themselves four goals down. For two proud franchises, the contrast in urgency couldn’t have been more apparent.
Key Points from the Maple Leafs’ Perspective
Key Point 1. The Maple Leafs Game Was Lost in the Details. William Nylander scored one goal and Oliver Ekman-Larsson added another, but Toronto’s issues weren’t about finishing. They were about the choices made before the puck ever reached the offensive zone. On all three early Montreal goals, Toronto either backed off, puck-watched, or lost track of passing lanes. That left Joseph Woll exposed and scrambling. You can survive one goal like that; you can’t survive three.
Key Point 2. The Maple Leafs Are a Team Slow to Respond. John Tavares said afterward that the second period was “really tough.” That’s a polite way of saying the Maple Leafs sagged when they needed to surge. When Woll needed help, players were late. When they needed a pushback shift, Montreal smothered them. There’s a difference between being beaten and being outpaced. Toronto looked outpaced.
Final Comment About Toronto
If the Maple Leafs want to climb out of this early-season wobble, they’ll need more urgency and less hope. Nobody is coming to save them.
Key Points from the Montreal Canadiens’ Perspective
Key Point 1. Noah Dobson Had a Breakout Night. Noah Dobson didn’t just score twice—he controlled the pace of the game. His reads were sharp, his timing was perfect, and he jumped into plays like a defenseman who understood exactly where Toronto’s seams were opening. There was talk during the game of his being a possibility for Team Canada in the Olympics. Perhaps.
Key Point 2. The Habs Picked Up a Needed Shot of Confidence. Jakub Dobes made 24 saves, Mike Matheson and Ivan Demidov each added two assists, and Josh Anderson looked like the version of himself fans always want to see: fast, direct, disruptive. Montreal played with bite, speed, and a clear plan.
Final Comment About Montreal
For a Canadiens’ team searching for traction, this was the kind of night that can reset a season. They earned every inch of it.