The Leafs won a game last night against the Devils that many felt they shouldn't have, and Max Pacioretty's thunderous hit was at the center of all discussions too. Plenty of the action went around the NHL on Tuesday night, but most of the spotlight belonged to <a href='https://thehockeywriters.com/maple-leafs-steal-2-1-win-from-devils-12-10-2024/' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>the intriguing matchup between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the New Jersey Devils</a>. Not too much scoring involved in the contest, but boy did it have a thrilling overtime. The New Jersey Devils, although outshooting the Leafs 38-14, had only one goal to show for it as Anthony Stolarz stole the show in that regard. Auston Matthews finally had the decisive goal in overtime as Toronto defeated the Devils 2-1. Anthony Stolarz stole the show, but perhaps the next biggest moment in retrospect was this monstrous hit from Max Pacioretty on <a href='https://www.nhl.com/devils/player/jack-hughes-8481559' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Jack Hughes</a>. From other angles, it looked like maybe <a href='https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/player/max-pacioretty-8474157' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Max Pacioretty</a> clipped Jack Hughes' head, as well as his skates leaving the ice, but upon closer look, the veteran's intention was a clean body check that he mostly pulled off. <div align='center'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/GinoHard_/status/1866659375080714247'> </a></blockquote></div> The fact Hughes fell to the ice simply added to the split-second drama of the play. The hit was a mixed bag and clearly frustrated a number of the Devils, to say the least. It was far from the worst thing that has happened to the Leafs on the ice this year, for example when Ryan <a href='https://www.hockeylatest.com/nhl-team/toronto-maple-leafs/leafs-ryan-reaves-has-just-received-his-punishment-after-the-vicious-hit-on-oilers-darnell-nurse' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Reaves was suspended for his hit</a> on Oilers' Darnell Nurse. This was just another day at the office in the world of NHL refereeing and Department of Player Safety decisions, where the fun has been sucked out in attempting to discern whether a big hit is to be cheered or deconstructed for possible supplemental discipline. We will know later today whether the NHL let this hit by Pacioretty slide or not. Either way, it would seem the Maple Leafs are finally finding their stride. With some elite goaltending, physicality, and timely goals from its stars, Toronto is trending toward being a force to be dealt with in 2024-25 since their Stanley Cup dreams are well within focus.