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The Toronto Maple Leafs have opened their season with a 5-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens at home.
With the game tied 2-2 midway through the third period, Morgan Rielly capitalized on two Montreal defensemen losing their sticks to score the eventual game-winning goal.
The Maple Leafs have now won their 10 straight home openers dating back to 2016. Only two other teams in NHL history have posted a run of that length: the Canadiens won 11 straight from 1953 to 1963 and Capitals won 10 straight from 2001 to 2011.
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That's it and that's all at Scotiabank Arena! The Maple Leafs open the season with a win in regulation over a division rival.
P3 0:15 – Maple Leafs 5, Canadiens 2
Nylander gets in on the empty-net fun and this one is truly over now.
P3 1:32 – Maple Leafs 4, Canadiens 2
Matthews nearly went the entire game without a shot on goal but now he's got a goal! He's the first to get to a loose puck in the Canadiens' zone and sends it home to likely clinch the win for Toronto.
P3 2:00 – Maple Leafs 3, Canadiens 2
Montembeault heads to the bench. It's time for the Canadiens to make their final push.
P3 2:15 – Maple Leafs 3, Canadiens 2
The Canadiens are very fortunate to get away with having six men on the ice without being penalized, especially with so little time left in the game.
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P3 3:59 – Maple Leafs 3, Canadiens 2
The third period has seen almost no stoppages, to the point that it's nearly over and we're only now getting our first commercial break.
P3 5:55 – Maple Leafs 3, Canadiens 2
Robertson misplays a clearance and allows Demidov to steal into the offensive zone with the puck. The Canadiens keep the Leafs pinned there for an extended stretch, but Robertson eventually gets another chance to clear the puck and makes it count this time.
P3 8:49 – Maple Leafs 3, Canadiens 2
Robertson picks up a loose puck and tries to jam it past Montembeault from point-blank range but the netminder manages to keep the deficit to one goal.
Well that was a series of unfortunate events for the Canadiens. Not sure I've seen two defensemen playing without a stick at the same time before.
P3 10:58 – Maple Leafs 3, Canadiens 2
Big chances up and down the ice! Lorentz at one end, then Hutson at the other, then Knies back at the other!
A moment after Knies' effort is stopped by Montembeault, Rielly capitalizes on two Canadiens without sticks and beats Montembeault to reclaim the lead for Toronto!
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P3 12:45 – Canadiens 2, Maple Leafs 2
A lot of time in the offensive zone for the Leafs but very little in the way of dangerous scoring chances.
In more positive news for Toronto, after looking shaken up on the bench Matthews is OK to continue playing.
P3 14:54 – Canadiens 2, Maple Leafs 2
The Leafs get their second power play of the night as Demidov is caught hooking Domi in the offensive zone.
Auston Matthews returns to the Leafs bench in some discomfort after blocking a Nick Suzuki shot. He is still hunched over on the bench.
P3 18:00 – Canadiens 2, Maple Leafs 2
Another big cheer for baseball by the home fans as news comes across that the Blue Jays have increased their lead over the Yankees to 4-1.
A cheer of "Let's go Blue Jays" rings out around Scotiabank Arena.
The Sportsnet commentator points out that 1993 was both the most recent year a Canadian team won the Stanley Cup and the most recent year the Blue Jays went to the World Series.
P3 20:00 – Canadiens 2, Maple Leafs 2
The final period is underway from Scotiabank Arena!
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Auston Matthews has yet to record a shot on goal tonight. That's a surprising stat for the player who has scored 12 goals in season openers, just two behind Michel Goulet and Dino Ciccarelli for the most in NHL history. He's had two shot attempts, seeing one blocked and the other miss the target.
Scotiabank Arena’s loudest roar of the night comes as the Blue Jays-Yankees game plays on the scoreboard.
Toronto is leading New York 2-1 in the seventh inning, nine outs away from advancing to the ALCS.
A much better start to the season for Calle Järnkrok, who scored the Leafs' second goal tonight. Järnkrok didn't play his first game last season until March because of injury. He ended up scoring only once in 19 games. He arrived this fall healthy and in good spirits and made a positive impression on Craig Berube at training camp.
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