MAPLE LEAF TAKEAWAYS: Grinding a win with a maskless marvel

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There's a lot to debate about the Maple Leafs' level of play right now, but you can't argue with an extra point in overtime and three wins in five games.

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Thursday's 2-1 win over the New York Rangers came as their best players showed up when it mattered: Anthony Stolarz had an all-nighter, William Nylander had two assists, including one Auston Matthewswinning goal in overtime.

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Our takeaways from a night where the Scotiabank Arena crowd got to cheer on the Leafs and the Blue Jays' first lead in Seattle:

CARPENTER TABLE ONE

A save percentage of .886 looked very out of place for last year's league-leading .926. Stolarz immediately set about improving that stat, making 19 stops over two periods while facing three Rangers power plays.

His own team was his worst enemy at times, but he overcame 21 turnovers and poor clearing to cross the crease several times and make 28 saves. His impressive league stats show he made nine power-play saves and eight high-danger chances.

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It helps that he stands 6-foot-6 and can see through that movement, which included at least one incursion from giant Rangers forward Matt Rempe. Stolarz gave him a semi-playful hug after the meeting before giving him a message to leave the front lawn.

“With him, you have to look past his arms, his legs and his hips,” Stolarz said.

Matthews spoke for many players about the level of security that the hot Stolarz provides.

“Tonight is another example of who he is,” he said. “He's a great communicator, he lets you know what's going on and also when he doesn't like what he sees. You can really appreciate that.”

RULE UNMASKED

Interestingly, the NHL chose Thursday to distribute the annual rule book to the press box because there was a little-known rule that led to a dangerous trade in the third period. When Stolarz's mask was dislodged by the shot, he shook off his headgear completely as he waited for the whistle, only to stop a hard hit from the New York player. JT Miller.

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The Leafs hounded both Miller and the referees for an explanation that the Rangers allowed their scoring chance to be taken even though Stolarz was bareheaded. This was news to him.

“Hopefully the league can look at this, talk to some goalies or people who know the situation, and we can come to some kind of compromise where our safety is not compromised,” Stolarz suggested.

Coach Craig Berube wasn't entirely on board with the rule.

“It was a decision by the referees. They felt New York had an opportunity to make a quick play and score. It's a tough call, your goalie loses his mask, he's in a very vulnerable position.”

Stolarz also tends to lose his stick when he gets low in the box, which happened just before New York's only goal of the third period.

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There was some irony in him making the stop without a mask, since in the third period he had a chance to become Toronto's first goaltender since the famous beating of Johnny Bauer in 1967 to knock the Rangers home. It all ended with Juuso Parsinen hitting after Braden Schneider hit.

NO FLOW

It remains difficult for Berube to get a clean play through the neutral zone, and Thursday was complicated by the Leafs' inability to break out of their zone. Crossing your blue line, especially with three power play kills, was extraordinarily difficult.

“We were caught extending our shift,” the coach noted. “And we lost the transition from defense to offense.”

This continued lack of cohesion led to at least one change in the third period, with Easton Cowan replacing Bobby McMann on the front-line bench after his five disposals contributed to another double-digit game in that questionable department. Team malaise for the fourth game in six nights could be Steven Lorenz's ticket back into the lineup Saturday against Seattle after a head injury kept him out for a couple of games.

WE WORK OVERTIME

The first 3-on-3 overtime period of the season featured some dicey moments as New York controlled the opening faceoff and had the first good look. But Matthews praised Morgan Rielly for the strong defensive play that put him and Nylander on the ice for the winner.

It was Matthews' 14th overtime goal, tying Mats Sundin's franchise record, and a great way for Rielly to mark his 878th game, tying Thomas Kaberle for third all-time among Toronto defensemen behind only Tim Horton (1,184) and Borje Salming (1,099).

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