The Maple Leafs left Seattle with a 5-4 loss, but the night still gave Toronto a couple of things to track closely. Gavin McKenna scored twice on the power play, and the second goal hinted at something that could matter down the line: a growing understanding with Auston Matthews. At the same time, Sergei Bobrovsky’s rough stretch in net has pushed the goaltending conversation into focus as the team heads to Vancouver.
McKenna’s two-goal performance was the clearest positive out of an otherwise frustrating result. Both goals came with the man advantage, and the second one stood out because of the way it connected with Matthews.
When Matthews gets the puck in a dangerous spot, defenders have to respect the shot, and that can open just enough room for a quick feed. McKenna showed he can get his shot off before that window closes.
That kind of play is what makes the pairing intriguing. Scoring on the power play is hard enough in the NHL with defenders collapsing and sticks everywhere.
McKenna showed he could handle that pressure, while Matthews showed why he remains dangerous even when he isn’t the one finishing the chance. It wasn’t just two players scoring on the same sequence.
It looked more like the start of something that could make each of them better.
It is still early, though, and one game does not make chemistry. Opponents will pay closer attention to McKenna as he becomes a bigger part of Toronto’s offense. Even so, the Leafs need more threats on the power play, and this combination offers a real possibility if McKenna keeps finding open ice and Matthews keeps creating passing lanes.
The other issue is in goal, where Bobrovsky has struggled through a difficult stretch. The bigger question now is how long Toronto waits before turning to Anthony Stolarz for another look.
It’s not about giving up on a veteran goaltender after a rough run. It’s about deciding when patience stops helping and when a different look might give the team a better chance.
A start for Stolarz would not have to be read as a permanent shift. Sometimes a change in net is simply a reset, a way to see whether a different goalie can settle things down for a night.
If Stolarz plays well, that gives the coaching staff something to weigh. If Bobrovsky gets the next chance and answers with a strong outing, that would quiet the discussion, at least for the time being.
Toronto can’t afford to drift while waiting for things to sort themselves out. The Leafs need reliable goaltending, and they need to make decisions based on what is happening now.
Vancouver gives them another chance to do that evaluation. Whether Bobrovsky gets the nod or Stolarz steps in, Toronto needs the best option available.
So as the Maple Leafs move on, the focus is pretty clear. Can McKenna keep building on a night that suggested more with Matthews? And can the team find the kind of goaltending stability that keeps it from having to dig out of games?
Neither one demands a dramatic answer immediately. McKenna deserves room to grow, and Bobrovsky deserves the chance to work through a rough patch.
But Toronto needs results, and the encouraging part is that McKenna has given the team something worth watching. Now the Maple Leafs have to turn those flashes into something steadier.
In Other News...
Kraken Blue Line Just Powered A Wild Win Over Toronto
Seattle got one of those results that can reshape a road trip mood in a hurry, outlasting Toronto 5-4 in a game that kept tilting back and forth all night. The Kraken leaned on an unusual source of offense, with goals from Josh Mahura and Ryker Evans helping power a win that also featured notable contributions from rookie Gavin McKenna and a busy night for Philipp Grubauer and Sergei Bobrovsky in net.
The penalty kill spent plenty of time under pressure, and the late stages turned into a test of patience as the teams traded momentum and lead changes. In the end, the difference came from the blue line again, with Brandon Montour finishing off the kind of wild finish that can leave a room buzzing long after the final horn. [Read more 🡒]
Kraken Finally Closed Out A Wild Home Finish In Regulation
The Krakens homestand ended the way they had been trying to finish a few tense nights at Climate Pledge Arena, with a regulation win and a lead that never slipped away. Brandon Montour provided the late payoff in a game Seattle controlled from the start, helping the club close out its stretch at home with a 3-1 mark and improve to 8-4-1 overall.
Lane Lambert had reason to like the way his group handled the game at 5-on-5, and Philipp Grubauer backed that up by giving up only one even-strength goal. It was the kind of finish Seattle can build on, especially after a homestand that kept testing the teams composure all the way to the closing minutes. [Read more 🡒]