Toronto finally has a normal schedule again, playing games every other day. This game was against an Original Six rival, the Chicago Blackhawks.

This game marked the return of Tyler Bertuzzi and TJ Brodie to Toronto. Both players received a tribute and a standing ovation from Scotiabank Arena. It also marks the 600th NHL game for star forward Mitch Marner.

The first period was nothing special, as always both teams got their chances and couldn’t capitalize. That was until Auston Matthews was able to score on a wrister past Soderblom to net his sixth of the season.

“I just think it’s his presence on the ice in the offensive zone and the defensive zone,” Stolarz said of Matthews. “He’s so smart, he’s so strong on his stick and you can always rely on him to be in the right position in the defensive zone, and he’s always a threat in the offensive zone. Look at that goal tonight, he gets a nice pass and he just makes our team a lot better.”

The second period was much of the same, where Chicago had a couple of really good looks, but Anthony Stolarz locked down the net and didn’t let a puck past him.

Later in the period, a turnaround shot from John Tavares bounced off and through a couple Hawks to find the back of the net.  That goal marked Tavares’ eleventh of the season, keeping the former captain on a hot streak.

In the third, the Blackhawks were finally able to get one through Stolarz. Lukas Reichel was able to put a rebound past the Leaf netminder for his third of the year.

Only 21 seconds later, the Leafs were able to counter the Blackhawks goal with a Fraser Minten snap shot from a Conor Timmins point shot which ricocheted off the end boards, bounced off the side of the net and came to Minten for the young rookie’s second of his career.

“That’s a huge goal,” Berube said. “That was a smart play by Timmins. We talked about that, with their goalie, because he really comes out and challenges, so off the end boards, there’s some things around there. That was just a real smart play by Timmins to do that.”

Matthew Knies was able to beat an icing and score on the empty net for his tenth of the season, closing the game at 4-1 Leafs.

Anthony Stolarz stayed locked in during this game, stopping 27 of 28 shots in line for a strong win against a young Blackhawks team. Chicago netminder Arvid Soderblom stopped 18 of 22 in the loss.

With this win, Toronto is back atop the Atlantic Division. The Maple Leafs are back in action at home against the Nashville Predators.