Red Wings Edge Maple Leafs with Late Goal in Thrilling Finish

TORONTO — In a nail-biting conclusion, the Detroit Red Wings defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 at Scotiabank Arena on Monday, with a goal scored just 45 seconds before the final buzzer.

After a blocked shot, Mason Appleton capitalized on the rebound, shooting over goaltender Anthony Stolarz‘s blocker from the left face-off dot. The Red Wings’ coach, Todd McLellan, expressed mixed feelings about the team’s performance.

“We weren’t as good as we were the other night,” he said. “Goaltending was huge, obviously. Talbot had a superior effort to give us a chance for points.”

Cam Talbot, the starting goaltender, made an impressive 38 saves for the Red Wings, improving their record to 2-1-0. Talbot’s strong play followed a challenging opener where he allowed five goals against the Montreal Canadiens.

“I feel like I can still play at a high level,” Talbot said. “This tandem with Gibson will be good for us.”

Dylan Larkin and James van Riemsdyk both contributed for Detroit, with Larkin scoring the first goal on a power play. The Red Wings initially led 2-0 before allowing Toronto to tie the game at 2-2.

For the Maple Leafs, forward Calle Jarnkrok tied it with a wrist shot but couldn’t secure the win. Coach Craig Berube acknowledged the effort but lamented the missed opportunities.

“We had plenty of chances but didn’t convert,” Berube said.

Maple Leafs rookie Easton Cowan made his NHL debut but had no points in the game. “It was a fun game to play in; just unfortunate we didn’t get the win,” he noted.

Despite outshooting Detroit 41-15, Toronto faced a formidable challenge from Talbot. “He played great and was a brick wall,” said Leafs forward Matthew Knies.

As the season progresses, both teams will look to build on this matchup. McLellan emphasized the importance of resilience moving forward.

“We didn’t quit,” he said. “That’s a good sign.”