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Toronto Maple Leafs beleaguered forward Max Domi scored a beauty against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night.
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Max Domi got an 800-pound monkey off his back. Domi snapped a long goalless drought with a third-period goal in the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night at Scotiabank Arena.
The Leafs and Penguins were on the tail end of a 4-on-4 exchange, as Domi led a rush into the Pittsburgh zone. He undressed defenseman Brett Kulak and then beat goalie Stuart Skinner for the goal.
Here’s a look at the beauty, as shown on the Maple Leafs’ official X account:
The replay shows Domi going coast-to-coast on the play. The impressive effort was crucial in the Maple Leafs win over the Penguins. The goal stood as the game-winner, leading Toronto to snap a three-game losing skid with a huge 6-3 win.
The goal is easily among the Maple Leafs’ most impressive ones this season. The tally also gave Maple Leafs fans plenty to cheer about as the team heads into the Christmas break looking to rebound from a tough start.
Maple Leafs Get Strong Performance from Domi
The strong game from Domi bodes well. Since getting a shot on the top line with Auston Matthews, Domi has elevated his presence on the ice. The opportunity on the Maple Leafs’ top unit has allowed the 30-year-old to get a new lease on his role with the team.
Domi’s solid game allowed him to get some major relief by ending a 28-game goalless drought. He ended the night with two points and two shots on goal. In addition to his tally, Domi assisted on the empty-netter by Bobby McMann late in the third period.
McMann’s goal iced the win for the Maple Leafs. With the win, Toronto improved to 16-15-5. The win also momentarily got the Leafs out of the Atlantic Division cellar. The Leafs will return to the ice on December 27 when they host the Ottawa Senators in a major Atlantic Division matchup.
Other Leafs Step Up in Must-Win Game
Tuesday night’s game featured other top Maple Leafs players stepping up. Most notably, William Nylander led the way with four points. The Leafs’ star notched two goals and two assists on the night.
Nylander had gone three games without registering a point. His last time on the scoresheet was back on December 16 when he notched two assists against the Chicago Blackhawks. Nylander is now up to 13 goals and 40 points on the season.
Another Maple Leafs player who had a strong outing was goaltender Joseph Woll. He stopped 29 of 32 shots on the night to backstop Toronto to the win. Woll has been solid since returning from injury. Despite losing his last appearance, Woll was fantastic. He made 29 saves against the Nashville Predators last Saturday night. Unfortunately, Woll did not get much run support in the loss.
Tuesday night’s game also marked the return of defenseman Chris Tanev. Tanev had not played since November 1 against the Philadelphia Flyers. His return was a sight for sore eyes. Tanev returned to the shutdown pair with Jake McCabe, giving the Maple Leafs some much-needed stability in the back end.
Nestor Quixtan Seasoned NHL analyst and baseball writer focused on covering clubs across each league with news, analysis, and insights. Originally from Toronto, Canada, Nestor’s singular experiences and background have enabled him to bring a different take on the sports world as a whole. Nestor’s fondness for baseball and hockey set the tone for his love and passion for writing about sports. More about Nestor Quixtan
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