Maple Leafs bring great vibes, plenty of goals in rout of Oilers: Observations New York Times (Online) Joshua Kloke EDMONTON — After an up-and-down start, the Toronto Maple Leafs are slowly finding their way. A thrilling win over the New York Rangers on Thursday was followed by arguably their biggest win of the season to date; against the Edmonton Oilers, one of the NHL's best teams by points percentage entering the game, the Leafs got goals from five different players and shut down Connor McDavid in a 7-2 win. It was another step from the offensively-driven Leafs to separate themselves from last year's team. They dominated the Oilers, keeping the puck away from them most of the night. Their puck play and consistency shift to shift was the key to the win. And that win kept the vibes high: the Leafs now have four regulation wins in a row. That's a streak they never managed to hit last season. Here's everything we saw from the win. At the time, the explanation for why Anthony Stolarz got his second start in goal in three games after Sergei Bobrovsky had a full day off practice on Friday, ahead of a massive Saturday night game, was … well, not convincing. “Just a decision,” Leafs head coach Jim Hiller said before the game. The Oct. 13 loss in which Stolarz allowed five goals has still hung over him in the week and a half since. But his play against the Oilers? A peak in a season of peaks and valleys. Stolarz held down the fort with some of his most aggressive play all season. He stopped 30 of 32 shots. Stolarz looked remarkably confident against the Oilers. His positioning was excellent, cutting off shooter's angles well and owning every inch around his net. It's hard not to appreciate the little jabs he gave to Oilers in response to their rushes. Let's not forget Stolarz has been very strong against the Oilers over the last two seasons with the Leafs: he has two wins in his last two starts, allowing just five goals and ripping off a .924 save percentage. The Leafs gave Bobrovsky a scheduled day off from practice Friday, which only suggests they're very aware of his usage and want to manage how he gets through a long season. If the Leafs can get more performances like the one Stolarz put up against the Oilers, they could be on track for more balance in goalie starts. “We have a lot of belief in both of those goaltenders,” Hiller said, “and I'm glad we have them as a tandem.” It's always worth circling the date when Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid face off. Yes, McDavid kept his incredible 11-game point streak to start the season alive with two assists to make it 33 points in those 11 games. But Matthews' rocket of a goal off a perfect Easton Cowan pass gave the Leafs a two-goal lead they never relinquished, a momentum swing that felt like it propelled the Leafs. Even after Matthews took some serious cross checks, he skated well and fought through the Oilers' best defenders. Matthews is starting to put together one of his best seasons in Toronto. Buckle up, it could be fun to watch along. The Leafs are getting a lot out of Troy Stecher lately. The bottom-four defenceman's second-period goal gave the Leafs a commanding 3-0 lead and was his second goal in as many games. That's the first time in Stecher's career he racked up goals in back-to-back games. The extra offence is certainly welcome. Stecher picked his spots well against the Oilers and moved through every area of the ice with swagger. But it's the swagger he shows beyond when he's scoring that might be more impactful. After an ugly year for the Leafs, Stecher's upbeat attitude has been part of what's galvanized the team. Watch him during a game: he's in teammates' ears with what seems like positive reinforcement. He's a hound on pucks, which can raise his teammates' play. He's playing with all kinds of happiness. And against the best team in hockey (at least according to win percentage) the Leafs showed up happy too. They're jumping in the air to celebrate goals. They're screaming words of encouragement after each other's goals. These are not things we saw a lot of last season. But the vibes with these Leafs feel different. Better. Goals are bouncing off Zack MacEwen and going in. Vinny Lettieri is scoring with ease, as he did with less than a minute left in the game. Lettieri, all 5-foot-10 of him, fought 6-foot-4 Oilers defenceman Connor Murphy because that's the way these Leafs roll now, apparently. William Nylander continues to score at will, too: he got two goals on the night. But zoom out and Stecher is one reason why things feel more positive. Was this the most fun the Leafs looked all season? “I've really embraced being a Maple Leaf,” Stecher said earlier this week. “It's more than just us 20 in here. It's a big-time fan base, and I feel fortunate to be a part of it.” Somewhat quietly, Jack Roslovic has had a strong start to his Maple Leafs tenure. As of Saturday, the right winger was among the league leaders in points by a player on a new team. After a greasy net-front goal to open the scoring and a secondary assist on Matthews' first-period goal, Roslovic finished the night with 12 points in his first 13 games of the season. The ability to produce as part of his all-round game with the puck was evident against the Oilers. And it was a reminder of why he's such a good fit alongside Matthews on the top line. There's still some questions about his defensive detail and effort. But Roslovic's stellar offensive play against his former team — he spent last season in Edmonton after signing as a free agent — was a reminder of why the Leafs took a chance on him as one of their more notable free-agent signings. He won't be leaving the top line any time soon.