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Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews showed he is healthy again, but new coach Craig Berube admitted there are still tough decisions to make to finalize his opening night roster.
Matthews returned to the lineup after missing four games with an upper-body injury to score the tying goal and set up John Tavares’ game-winning goal in the Maple Leafs’ 3–2 win against the Detroit Red Wings in their final game before the season in front of 18,524 Saturday at Scotiabank Arena.
“We’ve made some tough decisions,” Berube said. “I’m not going to comment on (individuals). But yes, we have to make some tough decisions.”
Teams must submit their 23-player opening night rosters by 5:00 PM ET on Monday.
The Maple Leafs (4-1-1) open the regular season on the road against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday, while Detroit will entertain the Pittsburgh Penguins for their first game on Thursday.
“It’s nice to end like that,” said Matthews, whose team overcame a 2-1 first-period deficit with a strong final 40 minutes. “Individually and as a team we really had a good time in the second and third.”
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The winner came 4:58 into the final frame when he passed to Tavares on the power play and then set up a screen for the game winner.
In addition to Matthews’ strong play, goalkeeper Joseph Woll also showed promise, as did fourth-line candidate Steven Lorentz.
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Lorentz scored the tying goal in the first period after Ryan Reaves made a strong physical play behind Detroit’s goal to get the puck to his linemate in front.
“I kind of blacked out there,” said the smiling Lorentz, a native of Waterloo, Ont. “For me it has come full circle, when I came to this rink as a child to watch games.”
Lorentz arrived at Maple Leafs training camp on PTO, meaning he will have to work out a contract if Berube and the management team plan to keep the 28-year-old Stanley Cup winner with the Florida Panthers last year.
“He’s a good guy,” Woll said. “He is a hard worker on the ice.”
Lorentz fits the heavy, grinding style of play that Berube wants his Maple Leafs to execute this season.
The Maple Leafs dressed most of their roster on opening night, with only regulars Nick Robertson, Calle Jarnkrok and defenseman Jake McCabe missing.
The Red Wings were without many of their top players as Dylan Larkin, Patrick Kane and Moritz Seider stayed home.
The visitors did not attack much in the last two periods. They were outscored 15-1 in the second period and 33-20 overall.
Ville Husso was Detroit’s best player, stopping 30 shots.
Toronto goalie Joseph Woll played the entire game. Without explanation from Berube, Woll played just 31:45 in the previous five pre-season games.
The incumbent is expected to share the workload with newcomer Anthony Stolarz, who saw just 35 minutes of playoff action with the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers last spring.
“I think he’s a stud,” Matthews said. “I think he’s going to have a really good year for us.”
The 26-year-old Woll was at his best during a Red Wings (3-3-2) 54-second five-on-three power play. After Jonatan Berggren hit the side of the net and Michael Bradsegg-Bygard fired a shot off the outside of the post, Woll stoned the latter’s Detroit in front after a rebound.
However, as Toronto’s first penalty expired, Andrew Copp scored to give Detroit a 2–1 lead when William Wallinder’s shot deflected off Toronto’s Matthew Knies to a wide-open Copp with 2:02 left in the first period. Copp set up Christian Fischer for a diverting opening goal.
The Maple Leafs tied the game 2:52 into the second period on a trademark Matthews one-timer from the side of the power play.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 5, 2024.
© 2024 The Canadian Press
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