Full marks to Maple Leafs for defensive gem with just five D-men

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The Maple Leafs have three games left in the regular season, but they can feel the Stanley Cup playoffs coming.

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With a 1-0 overtime win at Scotiabank Arena against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night, the Leafs clinched home ice for at least the first round of the playoffs.

If they achieve their goal of winning the Atlantic Division — they’re four points ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers — they’ll have home ice in the second round, as well.

“It’s huge,” forward Max Domi said of the knowledge they’ll have home ice once the post-season starts. “Any time you can lock up that, it’s massive.

“Whoever we’re going to play, it’s going to be a heck of a battle in the first round. Hopefully our fans are ready to go because we will be, for sure.”

Our takeaways from Saturday night:

DEFENSIVE GEM

If, for whatever reason, you still find yourself questioning the Leafs’ resolve, maybe get outside and take a breath of fresh air.

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With just five defencemen because of injuries to Jake McCabe and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, the Leafs put on one of their top defensive performances of 2024-25, limiting Montreal to just 15 shots goal, a season-low for any  opponent. And only 12 of those shots were at five-on-five.

“We talked about it from the morning on, about how we needed to play this game and protect our defence and not have extended zone time,” coach Craig Berube said. “We had a couple of shifts (where Montreal had pressure) because it tires our D out when we have five of them. They did a good job. There was definitely an awareness to be above people and check.”

Morgan Rielly led Leafs defencemen in ice time at 25 minutes 43 seconds. And Mitch Marner, who scored the only goal in the game, had a few shifts on the blue line, as well.

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As a whole, the Leafs were tuned in. The play of the forwards was a significant factor.

“Our commitment to a 200-foot game (was crucial),” goalie Anthony Stolarz said. “Five D, guys are going out there pretty frequently, so I think they did a good job of managing shifts. Credit to our forwards who made the D’s job a lot easier. We got pucks out. Very rarely did they hem us in our zone, so it allowed our D to roll through five guys. When needed, we saw Mitchy back there.”

It added up to a night that was not strenuous for Stolarz. He had to make just seven saves through the first two periods. In overtime, he stretched out to force Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki to go wide with a deke attempt, hitting the side of the net. A shot on goal was not registered on the play.

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Berube confirmed after the game that the Leafs, now that they are allowed to do so after playing one game a man short, will recall defenceman Dakota Mermis from the Toronto Marlies on an emergency basis in time for the game in Carolina on Sunday.

Berube said the injured players — McCabe, Ekman-Larsson and centre David Kampf — will not travel on the two-game trip to Carolina and Buffalo.

MARNER DOES HIS THING

Fitting that it was Marner who scored the overtime winner, the night’s only goal coming at 36 seconds of overtime when he beat goalie Jakub Dobes with a low glove-side shot.

Not only did it put Marner at 98 points, within two points of his first 100-point season in the National Hockey League, it capped a night in which he had six shots on goal and led all Leafs with 26 :29 of ice time.

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And those shifts on defence, let’s not forget those. Not much transpired when he was paired with Brandon Carlo, but Marner’s confidence in taking those shifts and Berube’s confidence in using him there tells you plenty. It’s something Marner has done in the past.

“I like it back there,” Marner said. “I don’t feel lost or uncomfortable. I try to not make it difficult on myself, make easy quick plays.

“We talked about it (Friday) on the ice after practice, (Berube) saying he was going to use me a little bit on the back end. I said it was fine with me.”

Said Berube: “He was fine. He’s a smart player. He knows how to play the position and understands the game extremely well.”

DOMI STEPS IN

There’s no debating what Domi thinks of his teammates and his desire to settle scores in supporting them.

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The spirited Domi fought Kaiden Guhle in the second period after the Canadiens defenceman sent John Tavares flying with an open-ice hit.

“It’s one of those things, part of the game and always will be,” Domi said. “When one of your players gets hit like that in the open ice and you’re on the bench, you don’t like to see it.

“It’s part of the game but especially Johnny, to be a good teammate, you have to step in like that.”

On top of the major, Domi got an extra two minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct.

“Little bit of a miscue on my part. You don’t want to take the extra two. That’s why I waited as long as I did (to engage Guhle),” Domi said. “I was talking to the refs and they said you have to make a hockey play and then you can fight. I didn’t know that to be honest. Now I know.”

We’re not going to fault Domi for his intentions. The Leafs teams of the past that didn’t demonstrate much of an inclination to stick up for each other are just memories now.

A willingness to get involved has been a hallmark of the Leafs in Berube’s first season behind the bench and it has to be encouraging for everyone in the organization.

tkoshan@postmedia.com

X: @koshtorontosun

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