TORONTO — Pierre Engvall‘s video tribute didn’t exactly stir a deafening round of applause from Scotiabank Arena. But the winger Toronto traded away did an even better job of silencing the room by slamming home the game-winner with just a couple minutes left on the clock.
Asked following the New York Islanders‘ much-needed 3-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs if he had any money on the board for his return game, the game’s first star paused a beat, then flashed a smile as long as his neck. As long as his effortless stride. As long as he waited to hear his name get called by the Leafs in the 2014 draft (188th overall). As long as the seven-year extension Lou Lamoriello signed him to.
“Yeah,” Engvall said. “For the team.”
A frequent visitor of Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe’s doghouse, Engvall was also a solid penalty-killer, one-time 15-goal man, and member of the 2018 Marlies squad that captured the Calder Cup.
The middle-six speedster spent seven years in the organization before former GM Kyle Dubas flipped him to the Islanders in 2023 for a third-round pick, and turned that currency into the rental of Luke Schenn, who endeared himself much more to Leafs Nation.
Much like his Islanders, Engvall has endured a rather underwhelming winter.
They both needed a moment like this to build off, heading into the stretch run with shaky playoff aspirations.
“I’m sure he was a bit nervous for tonight’s game, but he played a really solid game tonight,” Isles coach Patrick Roy said. “We talk a lot about going to the net, and it’s exactly what he did. And he was rewarded for a nice play.”
Heading into his return game, Engvall hadn’t registered a point in more than a month.
And the Islanders hadn’t defeated any team in regulation in more than a month.
“Felt really good,” Engvall said. “It was a really tight and tough game, so to see the puck go in and then get the win, especially at the end, close in a tight game, I think it was really good for us.”
Both halves of New York’s top defence pair, Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock, logged more than 20 minutes and wowed Roy with how they controlled play against the offensively deadly Leafs.
“Great finish by Engvall at the end,” Pulock said, motioning across the visitors’ room to the handsome Swede. “I’m sure there’s a lot of emotion for him. So, really happy to see.
“He’s pretty quiet. But I think that celebration meant a lot more to him there with just everything — first game back, and then it being go-ahead goal with two minutes left. Pretty special. So, big goal for him. Big win for us.”
Big win for a refreshed Ilya Sorokin, the Islanders’ stud goaltender, who stopped 35 of 37 shots and stood tall as the Maple Leafs pressed 6-on-5 late.
Big win for Mathew Barzal, a man energized by the coaching switch and Roy’s passion for the game and desire to open up the offence. (Keefe noted that unless he went strength-on-strength and ran Auston Matthews‘ top line against Barzal, the ice was getting tilted.)
And a big win for late-bloomer Kyle MacLean, who took advantage of Toronto’s costliest gaffe of the evening.
Trailing 1-0 in the second period, rugged Leafs defenceman Simon Benoit threw a hit on Barzal that drew Bo Horvat into a fight plus an unsportsmanlike minor.
Mitch Marner tied the game at 4-on-4, then the Leafs had a golden chance against one of the league’s worst penalty kills to take the lead on the power play.
“A game-changing opportunity,” Keefe said.
But Toronto’s 5-on-4 unit lost track of the clock.
MacLean, who was serving Horvat’s minor, jumped out of the box and got sprung for a clean breakaway to restore the lead.
“This is the National Hockey League. That’s peewee stuff,” Keefe said. “You play on the power play in the National Hockey League, they should not get behind you coming out of the penalty box.”
And while John Tavares tied the contest again on the Leafs’ second power play, Engvall circled the net, slipped out of reach from Morgan Rielly, then swiped in a Brock Nelson rebound backhanded.
Arms up. Crowd silenced. Revenge secured.
“I thought we played well enough to win,” Keefe said. “But we did just enough to lose.”
Fox’s Fast Five
• The undrafted MacLean scored his long-awaited first NHL goal — and it was a beauty.
After five full seasons with the Oshawa Generals and three-and-a-half years riding the bus in Bridgeport, the 24-year-old hopped out of the penalty box, caught a pass, and deked the smile off Samsonov’s face.
Even better?
MacLean’s dad, 1995 Stanley Cup champion and Islanders assistant coach John MacLean, had a front-row seat to the moment.
“Cool situation,” MacLean said. “So maybe after the game here, we’ll have a little bit of a moment. But it’s definitely special.”
• Fan favourite Simon Benoit dropped the gloves with instigator Bo Horvat and already has a career-high three fights this season.
The entire Leafs bench stood up and bangd their sticks on the boards for Benoit as he finished serving his major.
The Islanders loved it, too.
“This is who he is,” Roy said of Horvat. “Leaders always take care of their teammates. I mean, in life you have a chance: You could be an eagle or a duck. He was an eagle there.”
• Max Domi was asked if he’ll be hitting up Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and Morgan Rielly for a piece of their $1-million prize for winning the All-Star Game.
“I’m always bugging those guys to buy dinner, so nothing changes,” Domi smiles.
• Yeah, John Tavares took his family somewhere warm and got a break from Toronto during the bye week. But he brought his hockey gear with him on vacation, of course.
“That’s what he likes to do — stay active,” Keefe smiled.
• Matthew Knies, 21, looked like he was shot out of a cannon. Surely, a few days of rest served the rookie well.
“Seemed to have a little extra energy in the third period,” Keefe noted.
Consider: Knies played 40 games total in 2022-23 for the University of Minnesota. He’s already at 46, with three (plus?) months to go.
