TORONTO – John Tavares scored on his return from injury, the Maple Leafs played in front of their home fans for the first time in more than 18 months and Toronto defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 in the first game of the NHL preseason schedule . Saturday.
Jake Muzzin, Michael Bunting and Kurtis Gabriel had the other goals for the Leafs, while William Nylander and TJ Brodie added two assists each.
Michael Hutchinson stopped 13 shots to take the victory. Ian Scott started the third period in place of Hutchinson and made three saves before walking away with an undisclosed injury to send the Toronto starter back to the area.
Saturday’s game at Scotiabank Arena in front of 10,000 masked fans was the first event at the venue with paying spectators since March 2020 after the Ontario government relaxed COVID-19 restrictions on Friday, allowing 50 percent. of normal capacity.
Tyler Toffoli responded late for the Canadiens. Cayden Primeau allowed three goals on 21 shots for Montreal before giving way to Michael McNiven, who finished with 10 saves.
The NHL kicked off its full season-long 82-game show schedule in the immediate aftermath of a 2020-21 campaign shortened to 56 contests due to the pandemic.
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Toronto opened the scoring at 10:28 in the first period when Nylander found a late Muzzin for him to pass Primeau.
Tavares, who dressed in game action for the first time since being stretched off the ice at Scotiabank Arena after a terrifying collision in the Leafs’ first postseason game against Montreal on May 20, made it 2-0. at 1:55 of the second. when he delivered a Nylander shot home on a power play.
Looking to earn a spot with his hometown team after signing in free agency, Bunting then took the lead to three at 7:25 when he redirected a feed from Brodie to the front.
The Canadiens recorded five shots in the first, but were stuck at that number for most of the second: Cole Caufield missed the net on a breakaway and then again in a 3-on-0 run, before Montreal finally tested Hutchinson. at the end of the second. with two discs aimed at the target.
Josh Ho-Sang, another local product looking for a job in Toronto, nearly made it 4-0 midway through the third, but McNiven deflected his breakaway effort.
Gabriel and Toffoli exchanged late goals to complete the score.
The Leafs last played in front of their home fans on March 10, 2020, when they beat the Tampa Bay Lighting 2-1 before a crowd of 19,124.
The pandemic brought the sports world to a scream later that week.
The Canadiens, who reached last season’s Stanley Cup final after exiting the North Division, unique and needed by the pandemic, played the majority of their playoff games in front of fans both at home and abroad. United, including Game 6 at the Bell Center against the Leafs in the first round.
Toronto welcomed 550 fully vaccinated healthcare workers for Game 7 of that showdown with Montreal in late May, which the Canadiens won 3-1 to complete an impressive 3-1 series comeback against rival Original Six.
All spectators in attendance on Saturday were required to provide proof of complete vaccination along with a government-issued ID. Guests with a verified medical exemption and proof of a negative COVID-19 test were also able to enter the building.
Children under the age of 12 are exempt from those rules, and all fans must wear masks, except when eating or drinking.
The Leafs said this week they hope to have the Scotiabank Arena in full swing when they open the regular season Oct. 13 at home against the Canadiens.
Both teams wore lineups consisting of about half of their NHL rosters on Saturday.
The Leafs were minus Auston Matthews, who continues to recover from wrist surgery, Mitch Marner and Morgan Rielly.
The Canadiens began life without captain Shea Weber, who could be forced to retire due to various injuries that are expected to keep him out of the game this season, while Carey Price (knee surgery), Josh Anderson, Ben Chiarot and Joel Edmundson were among the other players. sit down.
This Canadian Press report was first published on September 25, 2021.
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Reference-globalnews.ca