Maple Leafs Beat Penguins 6-5 in OT Thanks to Nylander

What a game! The Toronto Maple Leafs pulled off a dramatic 6-5 overtime win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday. With the win, they stretched their win streak to five games. William Nylander was the hero of this track meet, masquerading as a hockey game, when he scored just 1:00 into overtime to seal the victory. It wasn’t the cleanest game, and the goalies weren’t having their best afternoons. That said, the Maple Leafs showed determination and now fly back to Toronto for a game tomorrow night, knowing they got the job done.

Here are three key takeaways from the wild win:

Takeaway 1. Nylander Steps Up in Overtime

William Nylander delivered when he needed to. He’s now scored 35 goals on the season to keep him in a distant second place to the Edmonton Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl for the NHL’s goal-scoring lead.

It only took him 1:00 into the extra frame to fire a wrist shot past the Penguins’ goalie. He scored his 252nd career goal with that goal, passing Bob Pulford to take 10th place on the Maple Leafs franchise’s all-time list. It’s a clutch goal from a guy who’s been consistent for the team this season.

Takeaway 2. Matthews and Marner Keep Racking Up Points

Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner kept their impressive runs going. Matthews scored his 390th career goal, passing Darryl Sittler to move into second place for most goals in franchise history. He now has only one more Maple Leafs icon to beat, and that’s Mats Sundin.

Marner picked up an assist, giving him 714 career points. That moves him past George Armstrong for 5th place on the Maple Leafs’ all-time list. Both guys are playing great hockey, and their chemistry drove the team to yet another win.

Takeaway 3. The Maple Leafs Have Become a Gritty Hard-Working Team

Despite the back-and-forth nature of the game, where things weren’t always smooth, the Maple Leafs showed they know how to hang in there. As a coach, it isn’t a perfect formula; however, there are some upsides. The Penguins fought hard, but the Maple Leafs didn’t panic.

Toronto didn’t play a perfect game, but they once again showed the ability to remain composed. They pushed when they needed to and pulled when they needed to. The result was that they hung in there until Nylander’s clutch overtime winner. This kind of resilience the team needs when the going gets tough and when the stakes are high.

The Bottom Line: The Maple Leafs Stay at the Top

At the end of the afternoon, the Maple Leafs’ 6-5 win wasn’t pretty. Still, it was another two points in the bag. Nylander’s clutch play, Matthews and Marner breaking records, and the team’s ability to keep bouncing back and finish strong shows that they’ve grown.

With five wins in a row, the team still holds the top spot in the Atlantic Division. Things could be much worse as they enter the season’s final stretch.