Maples Leafs Perform Comeback to Pound Canadiens 7-3 – The Hockey Writers NHL News Latest News, Analysis & More

There is arguably no better bout to schedule on the annual Hockey Day celebrations in Canada than one between the legendary Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre. As if ordained by the hockey gods themselves, the match will go down as a memorable one, as the Maple Leafs flipped a 3-0 deficit to win 7-3.

LEAFS WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWIN!@LGCanada | #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/4Kmfox4Pde

— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) January 19, 2025

Canadiens Burst Out in First Period

With Toronto clinging to its lead atop the Atlantic Division and Montreal pursuing a playoff push that would have been laughed off as a prediction not two months ago, there was some tension in the air at the Bell Centre. 

Surely bolstered by encouraging recent results, the Canadiens stormed out of the gate with beguiling intent. Were it not for a few brave saves by Toronto keeper Joseph Woll, the hosts might have enjoyed a lead far greater than 3-0 at the first intermission. 

But Woll could only do so much for so long. With a delayed penalty already looming against the team, the Leafs defence witnessed the Canadiens share the puck in tight spaces around their net until Kaiden Guhle found Kirby Dach in the slot, who rifled home the opener at 5:08.

Related: Maple Leafs News & Rumors: Nylander, Matthews, Stolarz & Knies

Montreal doubled, nay, tripled its advantage in a nine-second interval later in the opening stanza. At 18:21, a power play concluded with shocking news: Patrik Laine whipping a one-timer from the left faceoff circle for a goal. Then, immediately off the faceoff at centre ice, Montreal applied pressure on the puck, and thus Josh Anderson skated by a flailing Max Domi and undressed Woll for a 3-0 lead. 

Game over?

Toronto Crawls Back in Second Period

Ironically, Toronto’s first goal in the middle frame was the end result of a Montreal attempt that rang off the post moments earlier. Bobby McMann found the puck on his stick, raced back the other way for a 2-on-1 and, sensing an opportunity, fired one past Samuel Montembeault to make it 3-1 at 9:32. 

Was that the moment that saw momentum swing? Maybe. Maybe not. Perhaps more critical was the Maple Leafs’ goal on the power play late in the frame. Oliver Ekman-Larsson sent a pass into the slot where Nicholas Robertson deftly redirected the rubber into the net at 18:46. What could have been a 3-1 Montreal advantage at the break was slashed to 3-2.

Maple Leafs Rattle 4 Goals in Third Period

To emphasize the shift in momentum, Toronto levelled the terms 24 seconds into the third period through William Nylander. The forward was fed a pass from McMann, expertly fought off Lane Hutson whilst striding to the net, and duped Montembeault into going the wrong way to score into an open net. 

The go-ahead marker was classic hockey. A Toronto power play and a faceoff in Montreal’s zone. The Leafs won it, the puck went to Ekman-Larsson, who sent a powerful wrister from the point through traffic and past a blind Montembeault. From 3-0 down to 4-3 up for the visitors. 

Toronto smelled blood and piled more misery onto the hosts when Mitchell Marner offered talisman Auston Matthews a short-handed, one-timer opportunity. The latter happily obliged by torching his shot to make it 5-3 at 7:58.

Steven Lorentz put the finishing touches at 14:45 with some slick moves one-on-one versus Montembeault after slinking past half-hearted Montreal defending, making it 6-3. David Kampf put the biscuit into an empty basket at 18:26 for the 7-3 final.

How quickly things can change. The Maple Leafs’ credentials were questioned earlier this week, but they have now won twice in a row, performing comebacks both times. They’ll be back home on Monday (Jan. 20) to tussle with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Montreal will need to nip this game in the bud, because the New York Rangers will be in town in 24 hours for a rare Sunday night game (Jan. 19).