Maple Leafs 3 (EN), Islanders 1: As good as ‘a good game’ gets these days
It was played. | Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images
The spiral to nowhere continues. The Islanders finished 2024 with a loss in Toronto to continue a poor run and descend further into whatever this season is becoming.
It wasn’t terrible but it wasn’t inspiring, so pretty much on par with most of their prior 37 games.
Of course: “I thought we played a good game,” Islanders coach Patrick Roy said. “To be a great game, we have to win but I thought we played a good game.”
So there’s that. Again. Starting to wonder if on the inside the coach believes this is the best that this roster can deliver?
[GameCenter | Game Summary | Event Summary | Natural Stat Trick | HockeyViz]
The Islanders were without Simon Holmstrom (day to day), which necessitated a lineup adjustment that was...interesting:
#Isles in warmupsTsyplakov-Nelson-PalmieriLee-Barzal-PageauCizikas-Horvat-DuclairEngvall-MacLean-FaschingRomanov-DobsonPelech-PulockGeorge-MayfieldSorokinHogberg— Andrew Gross (@AGrossNewsday) December 31, 2024
In a so-so first period, the Leafs got on the board late after Noah Dobson was startled by a shadow:
Czech out how Swede this was pic.twitter.com/V22sjS25Of— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) December 31, 2024
The second period featured disallowed goals.
Adam Pelech scored, but a review easily determined that Casey Cizikas was offside on the entry — Cizikas didn’t drag his foot, and Anthony Duclair made a panicked stickhandle at the blueline:
and the play is offside no goal pic.twitter.com/60WzbU7TS7— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) December 31, 2024
Adam Pelech beats Woll but it's being challenged pic.twitter.com/ZPidaArI1q— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) December 31, 2024
After review, the play was offside so #Isles goal comes off the board. Kind of an inexcusable offside off the rush. Cizikas has to do a much better job there timing himself.— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) December 31, 2024
Then the Leafs thought they went up 2-0, but this one was disallowed on a goalie interference challenge (But what are you doing, Pelech?):
Knies Disallowed Goal due to Goalie Interference pic.twitter.com/Cb536FxHr4— Maple Leafs Hotstove (@LeafsNews) December 31, 2024
The Islanders eventually tied it on one that counted, after a nifty exchange between Mat Barzal and Dobson opened up a smooth Dobson pass to J-G Pageau:
A gorgeous feed from Noah Dobson to Jean-Gabriel Pageau ties things up for the Isles pic.twitter.com/BgBxyVLOHi— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 31, 2024
But the tie did not last long. Sixteen seconds later, the Leafs were back on top.
2024-25 Islanders season, this is the way.
Talk about a response from Steven Lorentz and the Leafs fourth line ‼️ pic.twitter.com/3PSQeROCJZ— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 31, 2024
That one, by a fourth liner who hadn’t scored in 20 games, held up as the winner. Good Toronto Boy John Tavares finished scoring with an empty netter that, fittingly, was also on a Leafs power play and a defensive zone faceoff.
“I didn’t think they’d pull their goalie…,” Leafs coach Craig Berube said. “I think it’s the first time that I’ve ever seen that (in a situation like that).”
Up Next
They will repeat this, probably all of it, on Thursday as the Islanders and Leafs will meet on Long Island to begin 2025 the same way they ended 2024....
Want the trending hockey news in your inbox daily?.
Just add your email, and we'll start sending you the most important hockey news of the day.
