Bobby McMann’s opening-night healthy scratch feels like a lifetime ago.
So does Joseph Woll’s opening-night injury.
Because, oh boy, would it be hard to imagine removing either of them from the Toronto Maple Leafs’ lineup now.
For on a night where not a whole lot exciting was going on offensively and goaltender Woll was doing everything in his power to give his club a chance, McMann stepped up as the difference-maker Thursday in a tight 2-1 victory over the New York Islanders.
“He’s a pure goal scorer, man,” Max Domi, McMann’s centreman, told reporters.
And one worth every penny of his new $1.35-million salary, frequently delivering on those rare quiet nights for the Maple Leafs’ star-powered top six.
In typical Islanders fashion, the rubber match between these two defence-first squads was still searching for its first goal past the halfway mark at UBS Arena, and both goaltenders were locked in.
Then … boom.
A clean Domi reverse hit in the offensive zone sent unsuspecting rookie defenceman Isaiah George to the room.
“A little bit of chaos on the ice,” McMann said.
Winger Nicholas Robertson gathered a loose puck on the flank and fed a streaking McMann, who surprised goalie Ilya Sorokin with a short-side laser.
And while defenceman Scott Mayfield would later even the score on a nice in-zone passing sequence after wearing down Toronto’s defence, it was McMann again who responded.
Unimpressed by his top power-play unit’s work in the third period, Leafs coach Craig Berube went to PP2 quicker than normal (and with Mitch Marner in lieu of William Nylander getting bonus time on the second unit).
McMann made no hesitation and no mistake with a puck on his blade after an Oliver Ekman-Larsson point shot bounced off the end boards.
McMann 2, Islanders 1.
The late bloomer now has six goals in his past eight games, 12 in a season interrupted by scratches healthy and unhealthy, and 27 in a career that is still only 97 games old.
“He’s obviously got a great shot. It was on display tonight. He’s got a pretty quick, sneaky release, and it comes off pretty heavy,” Woll said. “So, it was good to see him get some goals.”
Though he and his linemates only got about 15 minutes' worth of work, McMann led all Leafs with six shots on net, never shot one wide or had one blocked, threw a couple of hits and won both faceoffs he took.
So, while we’re not convinced Nylander has the support he needs in the top six, we don’t see Berube breaking up his McMann–Domi–Robertson third line anytime soon.
“They’re working hard together,” Berube said, “and they’re hounding.”
If McMann’s influence arrived in brilliant bursts, Woll’s was calm and omnipresent.
Tested with a series of Grade-A chances in a first frame that could’ve buried the Leafs early, Woll denied Mathew Barzal in tight after a John Tavares giveaway, stoned Kyle Palmieri on a breakaway, and shut down Bo Horvat’s clean look on a 2-on-1 rush.
When the Isles jumped on the power-play, including some 5-on-3 action, Woll stoned Anders Lee and Barzal on back-to-back one-timers, then Brock Nelson on the doorstep.
“Our goalie was good,” Berube said. “That’s big for us to get the saves there.”
Starting off 2025 the way he wrapped 2024, Woll made 62 saves on 64 shots in this home-and-home against the Isles. And looked controlled doing so.
“Keepin’ the boys energized,” McMann said of Woll. “It’s like a different calibre of energy. It’s like a calmness because we know we can trust him back there. But it’s also like, ‘OK, we gotta get going here because he’s saving us right now.’
“He’s been stellar all year.”
Woll’s 12th win already ties his career high, but it’s just a small step toward a busy January as the goaltender will be asked to hold the fort — and the top spot in the Atlantic — while Anthony Stolarz recovers from his knee operation.
Yes, as goals get scarce and injuries linger, the Maple Leafs are leaning hard on two guys who weren’t even in the lineup when this campaign began.
“In a tight game like that,” McMann said, “feels good.”
Fox’s Fast Five
• Say what you will about the Maple Leafs’ middling power play, but the Islanders’ man-advantage is an unmitigated disaster.
Going 0-for-3 Thursday, New York’s league-worst PP is now mired in an 0-for-20 drought over its past 10 games, dropping below 12 per cent on the season.
“The only thing missing in our game is scoring goals,” coach Patrick Roy said.
Gulp. The only thing missing is the objective of the sport.
A couple on the power-play could help.
• Yes, Tavares is still getting vociferously booed every single time he touches the puck on Long Island. Seven years later.
• Quote of the Day.
“I went through it once, and we won the Cup. So, it was pretty easy. And it was a good contract after that.” — Roy, on whether hockey gets more difficult in a contract year.
• A high stick cost Jake McCabe chunks of “a few” front teeth last Friday in Detroit, and he’s still managing his dental predicament.
“Our dentist here in Toronto fixed it up. Then I bit my nail yesterday and cracked it off,” McCabe said. “My kids are getting a kick out of it. I’ll get it fixed eventually.”
• The way Berube spoke of Dennis Hildeby on Thursday, bet on the 23-year-old getting a start (over Matt Murray) during this weekend’s back-to-back in Toronto.
“We have a lot of trust in him,” Berube said.
Give the dialed-in Woll Saturday’s important divisional matchup versus Boston and hand the rebuilding Flyers to Hildeby Sunday.
