Even with Taylor Swift’s spectacle just a few blocks away, the spotlight never strays from Toronto’s hockey stage.
The Leafs shook off the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 in overtime, highlighted by a spectacular Mitch Marner goal. Marner broke up a two-on-one in his own end, then raced up the ice to score an unassisted winner just 40 seconds into overtime. “I just tried to play it like a two-on-one, read the pass, and luckily it worked out,” said Marner. “I saw an opening and took it.” He added, “I just tried to have fun and bring some excitement to the game. These are the types of games you live for.”
Marner’s 200th career NHL goal sealed the win, with goalie Anthony Stolarz, who made 27 saves in his 12th start as a Leaf, offering an appreciative, “It’s just another day for Mitch Marner.” Marner was quick to show his admiration for Stolarz, saying, “I was actually more excited for him. I wanted to go congratulate him, but I got lazy.”
The game was a breathless rollercoaster. Connor McDavid, as always, was the main attraction. Despite the Oilers’ struggles this season, McDavid’s presence was felt early, scoring a power-play goal off a fluke bounce. His seventh goal of the season came after a puck bounced off Jake McCabe’s stick, allowing McDavid to tap it into an empty net.
The Leafs had prepared for McDavid’s arrival, knowing it takes a collective effort to slow him down. Chris Tanev put it best: “It takes a whole team to play good defense against him for 60 minutes.”
However, the night wasn’t without controversy. In the first period, Ryan Reaves delivered a devastating hit on Darnell Nurse, sending the Oilers defenseman crashing to the ice. Nurse, bloodied and shaken, was forced to leave the game after Reaves was handed a five-minute major penalty.
On top of this, McDavid’s skill was on full display when he casually stole the puck from Morgan Rielly behind the Leafs’ net, leaving fans in awe of his hockey IQ.
The game began with rapid-fire action. The Oilers scored early, just 1:42 into the game, when a puck deflected off Rielly’s stick to Adam Henrique, who found the back of the net. But the Leafs quickly responded, with Bobby McMann scoring on a perfect assist from Marner and Tavares. McMann even outshone McDavid, netting his second goal late in the third period to put the Leafs up 3-2, only for Leon Draisaitl to tie it up with less than two minutes left in regulation.
Finally, Marner’s stunning overtime winner capped a thrilling finish to a night full of drama. On a night when the Leafs were the second-most expensive ticket in town, they managed to put on a show that could rival Swiftie mania.