TORONTO — Max Domi needed that one, and so did the Toronto Maple Leafs.
There was a time, not so long ago, that the Maple Leafs would size up an opponent like the 2025-26 Calgary Flames and start dreaming of touchdowns on scoreboards and Hall & Oates on repeat.
The monsters would be out to munch cookies.
Stat-Padding Night at ol’ Scotiabank Arena.
And if, by chance, the mighty Leafs didn’t take care of business?
Well, it would be because (a) they decided not to bother or (b) the other guys’ goalie did cartwheels and, oh, well, tip the cap.
Those days are not these days.
The 2025-26 edition of the Maple Leafs — through 10 games at least — has been incapable of steamrolling an NHL lesser light like the one that trudged in from Alberta on Tuesday.
And so, although an overpowering power-play and waves of top-six offence are no longer turning regular-season mismatches into child’s play, and although the Leafs aren’t locking one-goal leads under lock and key like they did last year, a 4-3 comeback win over the league’s 32nd-place team is still a victory.
A two-goal mini breakout for the inconsistent Max Domi is still worth highlighting.
“We won today. So, nothing else matters, man,” Domi said post-game between sips of a smoothie.
“Honestly, you’re not going to get much in terms of the individual stuff. That stuff is so irrelevant. It’s a long season, and we need everyone.”
Today’s Maple Leafs needed everyone to string two W’s in a row, while the woebegone Flames watched their NHL-worst goal differential drop to minus-15.
Points must be stacked while the Leafs, who still very much envision themselves a contender, heal up and figure things out.
Take ’em and build. Even if the process looks a little shaky or the pre-Blue Jays crowd gets a little sleepy.
Aurora, Ont., native Morgan Frost opened the scoring in Period 1 off a nice passing sequence by Calgary, putting Toronto into an early hole.
Domi countered with a peppery shot in transition that beat Dustin Wolf clean glove side in the second frame.
Joel Farabee restored the visitors’ lead when he was granted clear access to goaltender Anthony Stolarz’s crease and jammed the puck right through the netminder. Ugh.
A response strike by Matthew Knies in tight with just 35 remaining before intermission knotted the contest and punctuated one of the better second periods for the home side.
The Maple Leafs have generally been getting caved in with the long change, but outshot Calgary 16-8 in the middle period.
“Way better,” coach Craig Berube said. “Might’ve been our best second period of the year.”
Hey, when performance has been uneven, you cling to the positives. You trumpet your resilience.
That momentum carried into the final period, when Knies (again) took advantage of Calgary’s fourth minor penalty and a mad net-front scramble to slam in a go-ahead goal while lunging on one knee.
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The offensively challenged Flames struck back, however, when Samuel Honzek was left all alone in front — underscoring Toronto’s knack for surrendering quality looks in tight games.
But Domi played hero in the 57th minute, sniping the winner and his second of the night.
Huge fist pump.
“Max, for me, the last three games, has been a different player,” Berube said. “More engaged. And when he’s an engaged player, he’s a good player.”
Slowly gaining confidence, Domi and the Maple Leafs jetted to Ohio after the final horn and will play the similarly inconsistent Blue Jackets (4-4) in less than 24 hours.
Toronto’s upcoming two-game road trip — the club heads to Philadelphia on Saturday — marks its longest of the month, a fine chance to get out of town and on the same page.
Ten games in, the Maple Leafs are treading water in the middle of the mediocre Atlantic and still searching for their first full 60.
“Yeah, we’re champing at the bit to get on the road. We love playing at home, certainly being at home with our families and playing in front of our great fans,” Domi said.
“But that’s when you really take the next step forward, when you have a few days together. That’s what it’s all about at this level, building relationships off the ice as fast as you can and come together as quick as you can, because that translates directly into on-ice success.”
Fox’s Fast Five
• Big two-goal night for the struggling Domi, who tripled his goal total.
The playmaker is still looking for his first assist. He has two hits and is a team-low minus-7 through 10 games. He’s bounced around the lineup and is centring the fourth line.
Asked pregame to assess the $3.75-million forward’s season so far, Berube suggested the injury Domi suffered in September is lingering. That may explain the lack of physicality.
“Up and down. Missed a lot of camp. That always hurts a guy a little bit,” Berube said. “Just kind of not fully healthy, in my opinion.”
• The Maple Leafs blueline misses Chris Tanev (upper body) but has managed a 2-1 record in the former Flame’s absence while changing all three pairings.
“I mean, I don’t think you replace Taney. Other guys have to take on more responsibility and adjust their roles,” Morgan Rielly says. “That’ll be a work in progress. But I think we’re doing a good job. We have open communication back there. We’re playing with different guys and different sides and stuff, so there’s an adjustment there. But it’s really nothing we can’t handle.”
• Good sign for Calgary native William Nylander, who sat out his first regular-season game in 1,300 days (April 4, 2022) Saturday with a lower-body injury.
The game-time decision returned to action, set up Knies’ second-period goal, and has now splashed the scoresheet in 11 straight games against his birth-town team.
• Stolarz will get a night off Wednesday in Columbus, but the ex-Flyer projects to start Saturday in Philadelphia.
That’ll be his ninth start in Toronto’s first 12 matches.
“My body feels good. Everything’s great,” the 31-year-old maintains. “I prepared for this in the off-season. Obviously, the (save) numbers aren’t there for what I want, but it’s a long season.”
• California products Nick Robertson and Dustin Wolf, both 24, played together as youngsters on the West Coast.
“He’s a great goalie. He’s a great kid. I’ve known him since I was really young. I think six years old back in L.A. we played together. He was one of my first teammates,” Robertson recalls.
“He was a really good goalie then, and he’s a good goalie now. He’s a great guy. He’s obviously done really well since being in the league.”
