Overview
- The Maple Leafs lost 5-4 in Seattle on Wednesday when Brandon Montour scored with 33 seconds left and Sergei Bobrovsky allowed five goals on 17 shots.
- Head coach Jim Hiller said he never considered pulling Bobrovsky during the game and defended his decision after the loss.
- General manager John Chayka and captain Auston Matthews publicly expressed confidence in Bobrovsky, with Chayka citing the goalie’s track record and Matthews blaming the team’s defensive coverage.
- Media analysts and some fans have pushed for more starts for backup Anthony Stolarz after his stronger early numbers, and Stolarz appears likely to start the team’s next game.
- Rookie Gavin McKenna’s two-goal, three-point night provides a clear positive and could influence line deployment, but the club’s bigger short-term question remains whether Bobrovsky can regain form or yield time to Stolarz.