New Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews will be hunting his first goal of the season in the team’s home opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night.
The league’s leading goal-scorer last season with 69 does not have a point after the Maple Leafs split their first two games of the season on the road.
Matthews started last season with consecutive hat tricks in the Leafs’ first two games.
Toronto’s two other main offensive players, William Nylander and Mitchell Marner, also are pointless.
Instead, the Maple Leafs had most of their goals from their secondary scorers on Thursday night in a 4-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils and former coach Sheldon Keefe. Max Pacioretty, Bobby McMann, Steven Lorentz and former captain John Tavares scored as Craig Berube got his first win as Toronto’s coach.
Maple Leafs goaltender Dennis Hildeby earned the victory in his NHL debut with 22 saves.
“I thought (Hildeby) was just solid,” Berube said. “I mean, he got tested. He came up big on their power play and I thought he made some real good saves. I’m very happy for him.”
Pittsburgh goaltender Joel Blomqvist also won his NHL debut Thursday when he made 29 saves in a 6-3 road win over the Detroit Red Wings. Evgeni Malkin also earned his 800th career assist.
Each team rebounded to win after being shut out in their season opener on Wednesday. Toronto lost 1-0 to the host Montreal Canadiens and Pittsburgh lost 6-0 to the visiting New York Rangers.
Toronto’s Anthony Stolarz played in goal at Montreal. It was speculated he might also start on Thursday, but Hildeby got the assignment.
Anthony Beauvillier scored twice for the Penguins at Detroit in a vastly improved outing from the previous night.
“I thought we played a much better team game tonight, but Joel made some key saves early that gave us a chance to stay in it,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “He let us settle into the game and get the tying goal.”
“We faced some adversity right away, so it was nice to be able to play again tonight and get right back at it,” said Sidney Crosby, who matched Malkin with two assists. “I thought we were a lot hungrier around the net than we were last night.”
If Toronto’s depth scoring continues, it could be a good sign for a team that has struggled in the playoffs in years past.
“I think (Berube) just likes it a little more old-school, and it’s a winning formula,” Lorentz said. “You look back at the winning teams over the past few seasons, you obviously have your skill guys that are gifted, and they can make all the plays. And those guys need to do their thing.
“But he wants big bodies and guys who can skate and stuff to create that energy and kind of that’s like the identity of the team. So, when you can come in and bang and skate and go to the net and, every once in a while, bang one in, like we did tonight, it’s a lot of fun and it’s fun playing that way. It’s the kind of style that does well in the playoffs.”
Toronto won two of three from Pittsburgh last season, including a 3-2 overtime victory at home on April 8.
–Field Level Media
