ahl was part of the conversation on Thursday night at UBS Arena, where the Maple Leafs fell 5-3 to the New York Islanders and opened the door for rookie goalie Artur Akhtyamov’s first NHL start. The 24-year-old faced 44 shots, allowed five goals, and still left the building smiling after the game. Toronto has a day off on Friday after the loss in New York.
Akhtyamov gets the nod in New York
The Maple Leafs turned to Akhtyamov after Anthony Stolarz sustained an injury early in Wednesday’s outing and Joseph Woll handled most of the game against the Washington Capitals. That pushed the rookie into the crease against an Islanders team that came out firing hard in the first period and built immediate pressure on Toronto’s defense.
Akhtyamov said the night felt overwhelming in the best possible way. “Every moment [was] my favourite, ” he said. “Yeah, I remember this game all my life. ” He added, “It feels unbelievable. Like, my first game, I’m so excited and that’s a good experience for me. ”
He was also direct about the pace of the night. The Islanders fired 24 shots in the opening period, and Akhtyamov said he was ready for the workload. “I’m a goalie and that’s my work, ” he said. “I was ready. I was ready. ”
Leafs skaters admit the pressure came fast
The Maple Leafs were outshot 24-3 in the first period and 44-16 over 60 minutes, a gap that made Akhtyamov’s first start a heavy assignment from the opening faceoff. Toronto coach Craig Berube asked his players before the game to dig in and protect the young netminder, but the early shot volume made that task difficult.
Winger Steven Lorentz said the team did not do enough in front of its rookie goalie. “We kind of left Arty out to dry, giving up that many shots, ” he said. “We didn’t really give him much of a chance. But he looked calm. He looked confident. He made some saves when he was moving side to side and he just looked like he felt comfortable. ”
Akhtyamov said a short relief appearance against Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers in December helped him prepare for the moment. He also noted that he did not have much time to feel nervous because the puck kept coming.
Why this game mattered to the Leafs
Thursday’s game also put the spotlight on the Leafs’ late-season roster decisions. Luke Haymes and Akhtyamov both got rookie laps ahead of their NHL debuts in Long Island, while the club also recalled four prospects from the AHL Marlies for Game 79.
Bo Groulx said the opportunity carried weight for players trying to move up. “A lot of guys deserve it down there, ” he said. “It means a lot to us down there. It shows that if you do the right things, you get a shot in the NHL at some point. So, it’s really rewarding for us. ” Berube added, “I like to see these guys. ”
Akhtyamov, selected by Toronto in the fourth round of the 2020 draft, has been trending up through the season. He has a. 903 save percentage in 36 games with the Toronto Marlies and represented the team in the American Hockey League All-Star Game.
What comes next for Toronto
For now, the Leafs move into Friday’s day off with the memory of a difficult game and a rookie goalie who handled the moment with calm. ahl stays tied to the night because the roster changes, the heavy shot total, and Akhtyamov’s first NHL start all came together in one sharp snapshot of where Toronto stands right now. The next step will be how the club responds when it returns to action after the break.
