02/02/2026
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Leafs inch closer to Wild Card spot, with commanding victory over Canucks
By Nina Kersnik
Spanglish World Networks, Spanglish Sports World, La Ronda del Dia, H.E.R. Network, La Portada Canada
TORONTO.- The Toronto Maple Leafs continued their path in what has been a rocky campaign with a big win against the Vancouver Canucks for the first time this season in Scotiabank Arena.
The Maple Leafs who are on a two-game win streak, hold a 21-15-7 record and rank 6th in the Atlantic, whereas the Canucks have nosedived completely ranking last in the Pacific Division with a 16-22-5 record.
Toronto began the first red-hot, quickly slotting three goals within 20 minutes. Once by Finnish native Matias Maccelli, another by Max Domi minutes later, and the biggest goal of the night by William Nylander. Nylander entered the lineup against Vancouver after being out with a lower body injury since Dec. 27. The Swedish native scored the third goal with 19.40 left on the clock, while marking his 15th of the season.
However, the same success could not be said for the Canucks, who’ve had a season of predominant lows.
As time went on, they showcased their disjointed line up, and although they had great chances through 40 minutes, outshooting Toronto by four, they couldn’t slot a single goal within that time frame.
In addition, what had the biggest strain on their lineup was their back end, especially with the decision to place Thatcher Demko between the pipes. This season Demko has been worse off when away with a 1-4-0 record, compared to his dominant starts at home (5-0-0). The San Diego, Cal., native has also let five consistent games go by while letting in three goals or more in the first period.
What was surprising though was the fact that Demko was never switched nor pulled out completely for an extra attacker, despite letting two more go beneath him by the final buzzer.
Overall, the team’s performance flipped on its head compared to their last few seasons in Toronto, where the Canucks won four of the last five meetings in Scotiabank Arena. The last time the Leafs won a game at home against the Canucks was on Nov. 11, 2023, with a score of 5-2.
What could be the most possible and biggest change needed for Vancouver is becoming more consistent on their plays. After they went down by three goals it was evident that they almost immediately discarded their desire to get back in the game.
This error translated to their puck handling becoming significantly sloppier and their physicality weakening, which overall made it difficult for them to form the slightest chance of a comeback.
In the end, the Buds flipped the script with a dominant 5-0 shutout, mainly due to the confidence Nylander instilled in his team since his return. All the players in blue-and-white also put their teamwork skills on full display, resulting in a well-earned win, and a fourth career shutout for their goaltender Joseph Woll.
With the win, the Buds sit in the fourth Wild Card spot with 51 points, putting them within one of earning a playoff spot. Currently they are tied with the Pittsburgh Penguins, who sit one spot above them.
The Leafs will go on a four-game road trip before traveling back to Toronto for a battle against the Minnesota Wild on Jan. 19.
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