Christian Dvorak gets Montreal’s goal, while Max Pacioretty played his first game against Montreal in a Toronto jersey.
TORONTO — The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Montreal Canadiens 2-1 on Thursday for their first win of the pre-season but star forward William Nylander left the game with an injury and did not return.
John Tavares and Nick Robertson scored for Toronto. Christian Dvorak tallied for Montreal.
The Maple Leafs outshot the Canadiens 33-17.
Midway through the first period, Nylander was tripped up in the neutral zone and was hit in the head by a passing Montreal player as he fell. The 27-year-old went straight to the dressing room and remained out for what the team called “precautionary reasons.”
Tavares opened the scoring midway through the first period by tipping home a deft touch-pass from Mitch Marner. It was the fourth point for Tavares in the two games he has played.
Dvorak pulled Montreal even at 5:39 of the second period after taking advantage of a slick feed from Alexandre Barré-Boulet at the Toronto blue line.
Dvorak held off Maple Leafs defender Morgan Rielly and tucked the puck between goalie Anthony Stolarz’s legs.
Robertson had two breakaways later in the period but both were turned aside by Montreal netminder Jakub Dobes.
Robertson eventually capitalized with the winner at 18:04. He stripped the puck from Canadiens defender Adam Engstrom, drawing a penalty in the process, and beat Dobes between the legs.
Matt Murray took over for Stolarz in the third period for his first game since suffering a hip injury on April 4, 2023. He stopped all seven shots he faced.
Stolarz had nine saves and Dobes made 32 stops.
“It was definitely weird going back there at the beginning and getting booed by some fans then playing in the playoffs,” Pacioretty said Thursday morning. “I think it’s a cool rivalry though. I remember playing (Toronto) opening night and setting the tone to the season, good or bad.
“I haven’t played in a rivalry like this definitely since I’ve been gone from Montreal. The history of both teams, it’s such an honour, so that side of it doesn’t feel weird at all.
“I go back every summer, all my friends are there, I love the city, loved my time there, grew up there and started my family” he said, adding “not many guys are left on the team since I was there.”
Pacioretty, who scored twice in the exhibition opener against the Ottawa Senators, almost had a deflection goal in the first period and had the last of the Leafs’ 13 shots.
The Maple Leafs and Canadiens will face each other again on Saturday at the Bell Centre.
Postmedia News contributed to this report.