Maple Leafs Eliminate Rangers, Secure Playoff Berth
TORONTO — Joseph Woll delivered a stellar performance with 40 saves, and John Tavares scored the game-winning goal as the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the New York Rangers 4-3 on Wednesday night, simultaneously eliminating the Rangers from playoff contention.
Jake McCabe, Nick Robertson, and Dakota Joshua likewise contributed goals for Toronto (31-29-13). Matias Maccelli recorded two assists, and Woll earned his first NHL point with an assist on Joshua’s goal.
Mika Zibanejad scored twice, and Alexis Lafrenière added a goal and two assists for the Rangers (29-35-9). Igor Shesterkin made 14 saves in the loss.
Maple Leafs’ Rare Home Victory
The win marked only the second victory (2-7-3) for the Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena since mid-January.
The Rangers will finish second-last in the overall NHL standings, missing the playoffs for the second consecutive season. Toronto currently ranks 21st and faces the possibility of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
Rangers’ Debut and Maple Leafs’ Milestone
Adam Sykora made his NHL debut for the Rangers after being called up from the Hartford Wolf Pack. The 21-year-old winger, drafted 63rd overall in 2022, had 12 goals and 17 assists for 29 points in 62 AHL games this season.
Toronto’s William Nylander is one point away from surpassing his father, Michael, in career points. Nylander currently has 679 points in 741 regular-season games, even as his father recorded 679 points in 920 games.
Key Moment: Tavares’ Game-Winner
Tavares scored his 26th goal of the season at 11:57 of the third period, giving Toronto a 4-2 lead.
Statistical Highlight
The Rangers, who managed only 10 shots in their previous game against the Ottawa Senators, registered 14 shots on goal in the first period and an additional 17 in the second period against Toronto.
Looking Ahead
The Rangers will host the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday. The Maple Leafs will visit the St. Louis Blues on Saturday.
Worth a look