Stolarz and the Kids Hold On: Leafs Edge Islanders 2-1 for Hiller's First Win
Two first-period goals and a 26-save night from Anthony Stolarz gave new Toronto coach Jim Hiller his first victory behind the Maple Leafs bench.
New coach, first win, and a blueprint he can live with. Jim Hiller, hired on June 17 to replace Craig Berube, got his first victory as Toronto's head coach on September 30 as the Maple Leafs beat the New York Islanders 2-1, per NHL.com.
An early lead, then a grind
Toronto did its scoring inside the first twelve minutes. Colton Sissons opened at 7:14 of the first period, and Easton Cowan doubled the lead on the power play at 11:55. From there the game became exactly the kind of test Hiller said he values: "You like to see the easy ones, trust me, when you are standing behind the bench, but you appreciate the hardness, the blocked shots."
The Islanders made it tense late. Emil Heineman scored short-handed at 14:09 of the third to halve the deficit, but Anthony Stolarz — who finished with 26 saves — shut the door the rest of the way. Ilya Sorokin stopped 24 for New York in a game that deserved better than an 0-1 start, as SNY noted of the Islanders' late push in their season opener.
What it means
For Toronto, now 1-1-0 after dropping the opener 3-2 to Montreal, the encouraging part is who delivered: Cowan's power-play strike and a strong night from the supporting cast, with Maple Leafs Hot Stove singling out Stolarz, Cowan and the third line. A new coach selling buy-in needs early proof that defensive commitment gets rewarded, and this was it. For the Islanders, the short-handed goal and Sorokin's steadiness were real positives — but spotting a team two first-period goals on the road is a habit they'll want to break immediately.