Nylander Sparks Leafs Past Flames with Three-Point Night in Calgary
CALGARY - William Nylander wasted no time reminding Calgary why he’s been a thorn in their side for years. Just 35 seconds into Monday night’s matchup, the Toronto winger picked off a turnover and buried a breakaway to set the tone in a 4-2 win over the Flames - and he didn’t stop there.
Nylander finished with a goal and two assists, powering the Maple Leafs to their second straight win to start a crucial Western Canada road swing. Now 26-21-9, Toronto is inching closer to the playoff picture, sitting just seven points back of the Boston Bruins for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Fast Start, Familiar Story
Calgary opened with early energy, buzzing in the offensive zone, but a misfired pass from Jonathan Huberdeau turned into trouble. John Tavares jumped the lane and sent Nylander in alone, and the Swede made no mistake - snapping a shot past Dustin Wolf to give Toronto a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
That goal marked Nylander’s 18th of the season, and it continued his strong personal history against the Flames. Born in Calgary during his father Michael’s stint with the team in the mid-90s, Nylander has now racked up 36 points (13 goals, 23 assists) in 26 career games versus Calgary. Safe to say, he enjoys playing in his hometown.
Leafs Capitalize, Flames Push Late
Toronto widened the gap in the second period. Matias Maccelli doubled the lead at 7:17, and after a key blocker save by Joseph Woll on a Matt Coronato breakaway, the Leafs struck again. Nylander set up Troy Stecher for a slick finish that made it 3-0, a sequence that proved to be the turning point of the night.
Calgary didn’t fold, though. Nazem Kadri and Joel Farabee each scored in a two-and-a-half-minute span late in the second to cut the deficit to one heading into the third. But the Flames couldn’t find the equalizer, and Bobby McMann iced it with an empty-netter in the final minute.
Woll Stays Perfect Against Calgary
Joseph Woll was steady when it mattered, turning aside 28 shots to improve to 13-7-4 on the season. He’s now 5-0-0 in his career against the Flames, and his timely save on Coronato with the game still within reach was arguably the biggest moment of the night.
At the other end, Dustin Wolf made 18 saves but was tagged with the loss, dropping to 16-21-3.
Flames' Scoring Woes Continue
Nazem Kadri’s goal was just his second in the last 20 games - a far cry from the 35 he scored last season when he led Calgary in goals. Farabee, on the other hand, continues to trend in the right direction. After a quiet stint following his trade from Philadelphia last year, he’s now up to 23 points in 55 games this season and has found more consistency in his game.
Zayne Parekh, Calgary’s 2024 first-round pick, made his return to NHL action after a standout World Junior Championship where he posted 13 points in seven games for Team Canada. But the rookie defenseman was held off the scoresheet in just over 20 minutes of ice time, still shaking off rust after recovering from injury.
Leafs’ Streak Rolls On
Toronto’s win extends its dominance over Calgary to eight straight games - currently their longest active winning streak against any team in the league. And with the Oilers up next on Tuesday, the Leafs have a chance to keep building momentum on this road trip.
Calgary, meanwhile, will try to regroup before hosting those same Oilers on Wednesday in the latest edition of the Battle of Alberta.
What’s Next:
- Maple Leafs: at Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday
- Flames: vs. Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday
Toronto’s playoff push is heating up - and if Nylander keeps playing like this, they might just have the firepower to make it interesting down the stretch.