Maple Leafs Triumph Over Ducks in a Close Contest at Scotiabank Arena
Toronto, ON – The Toronto Maple Leafs edged out the Anaheim Ducks with a 3-2 victory on Thursday night at Scotiabank Arena, thrilling the crowd of 18,688 in attendance. Max Pacioretty delivered a standout performance, scoring two goals and earning the title of first star of the game.
The Leafs came out strong in the first period, with Pacioretty opening the scoring at 6:57, assisted by captain John Tavares and Jake McCabe. William Nylander extended the lead to 2-0 at 14:17 with his 18th goal of the season, assisted by Pacioretty and Morgan Rielly.
The Ducks pushed back late in the first period, capitalizing on a power play. Frank Vatrano found the back of the net at 15:56, narrowing the Leafs’ lead to 2-1.
In the second period, Pacioretty struck again at 12:54, scoring his second goal of the game off a setup from Conor Timmins and Tavares. Anaheim responded just over a minute later, with Jackson Lacombe scoring his fifth goal of the season, assisted by Ryan Strome and Troy Terry.
LEAFS WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWIN!@LGCanada | #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/5PboJb349g
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) December 13, 2024
The Leafs’ defense held strong in the third period, successfully shutting down Anaheim’s offense. Goaltenders Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll combined to keep the Ducks at bay, with Woll taking over after the first period and recording 20 saves on the night.
Anaheim’s Lukas Dostal made 30 saves in a valiant effort but couldn’t secure the win for his team.
The Leafs dominated in shots on goal, outshooting the Ducks 33-28. Toronto’s penalty kill unit was effective, preventing Anaheim from scoring during their second power play opportunity, while Anaheim converted one of their two chances with the man advantage.
Pacioretty’s two-goal night, combined with strong play from Tavares, who notched two assists, secured the Maple Leafs another home win. Lacombe’s efforts for Anaheim earned him the third star of the game.
Toronto will look to carry this momentum into their next matchup as they aim to solidify their position in the Atlantic Division standings.
