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The Canadiens face a tough test to start the season today with a matchup against the Maple Leafs in Toronto.
Tonight sees the Maple Leafs playing their first game without Mitch Marner, who was sent to the Vegas Golden Knights in a sign-and-trade deal during the offseason.
Send us your thoughts on the game at live@theathletic.com.
P1 3:00 – Canadiens 1, Maple Leafs 1
Stolarz misplays the puck off the boards and nearly gifts the Gallagher and the Canadiens a goal, but does just enough scrambling to recover to prevent disaster.
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P1 3:23 – Canadiens 1, Maple Leafs 1
Twice in the space of 20 or so seconds, McMann tries to beat the Canadiens defense down the right wing but isn't able to fully break away.
Maccelli nearly has a huge scoring chance right in front of goal but Matheson checks the puck off his stick just in time.
P1 5:00 – Canadiens 1, Maple Leafs 1
Carlo blocks a Bolduc shot with the side of his leg and is in visible pain for 15 seconds before the next stoppage, Stolarz making a nice poke check to prevent a shot on goal from point-blank range.
The Canadiens fail to get a single shot on goal before Nylander emerges from the box.
P1 7:16 – Canadiens 1, Maple Leafs 1
Nylander catches Guhle in the face with his stick and the Canadiens get their first power play of the night.
P1 7:41 – Canadiens 1, Maple Leafs 1
Domi gets the puck and breaks down the left wing. He's got Joshua in support through the center but opts to shoot on net himself, forcing a save from Montembeault.
There are a lot of Habs fans here at the game tonight – so much so that there was a big cheer after their goal. You wonder if some Leafs fans sold their tickets in order to watch the Blue Jays game instead.
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P1 8:13 – Canadiens 1, Maple Leafs 1
Bolduc tries to jam the puck home from point-blank range but Stolarz makes the save. The puck is still loose for a moment but the Leafs netminder is able to cover it up just before Bolduc is able to shoot it again.
P1 10:21 – Canadiens 1, Maple Leafs 1
Tavares with a decent chance on the backhand from close range but Montembeault makes the stop.
Strong start for Montreal's top line. The Nick Suzuki trio has had two shifts buzzing around the Leafs offensive zone in the game's first eight minutes.
P1 12:10 – Canadiens 1, Maple Leafs 1
Lorentz nearly has a golden scoring chance from close range on a rebound, but the Canadiens do just enough to prevent him from corralling the puck.
P1 12:43 – Canadiens 1, Maple Leafs 1
The Canadiens successfully see off the rest of Laine's minor penalty but not before they nearly score again, Stolarz just getting a piece of a Newhook shot.
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Oliver Kapanen scores his first career NHL goal shorthanded off a terrible neutral zone turnover by the Maple Leafs. There were a lot of question marks about who would fill out the Canadiens' penalty-killing unit up front throughout training camp. Kapanen won the job. Not a bad start.
P1 14:21 – Canadiens 1, Maple Leafs 1
And now the second chance of the Leafs power play goes to the Canadiens, and this time they cash in! Kapanen breaks down the right wing and seems to catch Stolarz by surprise with a snap shot!
P1 14:36 – Maple Leafs 1, Canadiens 0
The first chance of the Leafs power play goes to the Canadiens as Anderson breaks forward and forces a save from Stolarz.
P1 14:52 – Maple Leafs 1, Canadiens 0
Laine hooks Tanev in the offensive zone and is consequently the first player sent to the penalty box tonight.
P1 17:03 – Maple Leafs 1, Canadiens 0
A solid spell of possession for the Canadiens in the offensive zone, extended twice by a Leafs player failing to clear the puck. They get three shots on goal but Stolarz stands tall for all three.
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Bobby McMann opens the scoring and it's a big goal for the winger: he went without a goal in his final 24 games last season, playoffs included.
P1 19:00 – Maple Leafs 1, Canadiens 0
Nylander throws the puck on net through traffic and McMann redirects it from close range to beat Montembeault!
P1 19:05 – Canadiens 0, Maple Leafs 0
Nylander finds Rielly with a cross-ice pass on the rush, but Montembeault handles his ensuing wrister.
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