Is this team really better without Auston Matthews? They’ve only allowed 2 goals in the last 4 games that they have played without their star goal scorer.

Toronto enters the first half of a back-to-back against the division rival Red Wings. Stolarz gets the crease against veteran Cam Talbot.

In the annual Hockey Hall of Fame game, the Leafs came out looking to continue their success from their recent game against the Bruins. It was a fairly uneventful game from both sides, with both teams notching just over 20 shots on the night. Nick Robertson seemed to score early, but the goal was called back due to goaltender interference.

For Toronto’s third straight game, it was the powerplay that broke open the scoring. This one came from a Mitch Marner rebound to give the Buds a 1-0 lead. Having been one of the league’s worst power plays throughout the first 12 games – registering just three goals in 38 opportunities over that period – Toronto has now scored six goals in the past three games with the man advantage.

In the second period, John Tavares took a hooking penalty, putting the Leafs on the penalty kill. Detroit made no mistake with this one, scoring on a Dylan Larkin wrist shot near the left faceoff dot.

Not long after, the Leafs find themselves back on the powerplay due to a too-many-men penalty. Keeping hot, Mitch Marner found John Tavares in the slot – his kitchen – and put it right past Talbot to regain the lead for Toronto.

The rest of the game was uneventful. Good chances on both ends but both goaltender’s were able to suppress the offense. Due to the low scoring, Toronto had to rely on Anthony Stolarz to bring the game home. In the third, Detroit crashed the Toronto net, trying to poke the puck in with any chance they had, but Anthony Stolarz made an insane, bare-hand save to keep the lead with Toronto. Scotiabank Arena erupted when they saw Stolarz’s bare hand with the puck, truly displaying the passion he has to win.

With 90 seconds remaining, Detroit pulled Talbot only for Tavares to take the puck at the blueline, then depositing it in the empty Detroit cage to seal the game, and grab his second goal of the game, for his seventh of the season.

Tavares moves up to ninth all-time in Leafs PP goals with his 61st in the blue and white. Earning the first star of the game, Tavares spoke post-game about the win.

“It was a good team game. I wouldn’t say anything was real special tonight. It was pretty low-event. Execution on both sides wasn’t as good as maybe it is at times, but we earned to be on the right side of it and took care of the game and got the two points.”

With the Leafs riding hot, and Stolarz continuing to impress, it looks like nothing can stop this team. Toronto will finish up the back-to-back Saturday against Montreal, then follow it up with another back-to-back against Ottawa and Washington, on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively.