Andre Leal Wed, October 14, 2026 at 11:00 AM UTC · 3 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Toronto Maple Leafs ended their three-game road trip with a 5-4 loss to the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday, and multiple players have taken the blame for certain moments in the game.
The Maple Leafs did come close to evening up the contest late with a six-on-four opportunity. However, along the way to nearly completing a comeback from being 4-1 down, there were plenty of areas that can be cleaned up, and the players realize that.
Defenseman Morgan Rielly was asked about Utah's first goal of the game. Left winger Daniil But made a move on Rielly, leaving him in the dust, before netting his fifth-career NHL goal.
"Yeah, he made a good play," Rielly admitted, who finished with a minus-two rating and 16:09 of average ice time. "Obviously, that's on me. But I thought we did a good job getting back in the game. But there's plenty of areas to clean up."
Rielly wasn't the only player to take responsibility for part of Toronto's defeat, bringing the team to a 3-3-1 record after seven games.
'Pretty Easy Decision': John Tavares Reclaims Maple Leafs' Top Power-Play Spot Over Gavin McKenna In UtahAfter missing the last game with the birth of his child, John Tavares has taken his spot back on the Toronto Maple Leafs' top power-play unit in Utah. Gavin McKenna was in that spot in his absence.
Goaltender Anthony Stolarz, making his third start of the season, allowed five goals on 28 shots on goal from the Mammoth. He finished the outing with an .827 save percentage and endured his first loss of the year. He now holds an .875 SP from his three appearances this season.
There were a few goals that slipped past him, and the 32-year-old confessed that he could've been sharper in those moments on Tuesday.
"I put us in a tough situation," Stolarz said post-game. "You know, probably want two or three of those goals back. And not the way you want to go and end the road trip."
'Completes Our Family': John Tavares Re-Joins Maple Leafs in Utah After Birth of Son TuckerAfter a whirlwind cross-country trip to meet his newborn son Tucker, John Tavares rejoined the Maple Leafs in Utah with high praise from teammates who noticed plenty of "dad strength" in his stride.
Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller defended Stolarz and didn't let him take the entire blame for the bleeding, conceding four goals in the second period specifically.
"He was alright, " Hiller said of Stolarz's performance. "He gave us a chance at the end for a period of a couple of saves. You know, they scored five rush goals. So that's not just Anthony. That's different people making mistakes prior to getting to him. There's probably a couple he wants back, but that happens."
As mentioned, Toronto's first road trip is complete. Their next opponent will be the Buffalo Sabres at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday.
See more of The Hockey News on Google — Save us as Preferred Source
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free . Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here . And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
Source: Sport
0 Comments