How the Maple Leafs pulled off an upset over the Stars

This wasn't Mike Tyson-Buster Douglas at the Tokyo Dome, but the typically toothless Toronto Maple Leafs pulled off a considerable upset Monday night over the power-punching Dallas Stars, winning 4-1.

Here's how the Maple Leafs, in their first test against a true Western Conference heavyweight this season, were able to celebrate a win at home for the first time in nearly seven months.

Jonathan Bernier's injury

Well, why else would James Reimer start?

The only Toronto goaltender with a win now has two after a brilliant 43-save performance that pushed his season average well over the .900 mark and his career record to 13-2-2 in games in which he's made at least 40 saves.

He did allow the obligatory (but this time not deflating) bad goal from Toronto goaltending less than a minute after the Maple Leafs took the lead, having a wrist shot from Jamie Benn sneak under his arm. But Reimer hunkered down, denied Valeri Nichushkin on a penalty shot, and was the best player on the ice in a game in which he most certainly had to be.

And according to Leafs' coach Mike Babcock, he's earned another start.

Joffrey Lupul's pair

The maligned Maple Leafs winger (who, mind you, counts the same against the cap as Benn - the NHL's leading scorer and reigning Art Ross Trophy winner) scored two unanswered second period goals a little more than 10 minutes apart, which proved to be the difference.

(Courtesy: NHL.com)

Lupul is up to five goals, snatching the team lead, and now leads all forwards with seven points.

Niemi's nightmare

Antti Niemi allowed at least three goals in his fourth straight start made out of Dallas' two-goalie rotation, leading one to believe the coaching staff should probably start, you know, deploying said rotation.

He was fighting off high shots, overplaying pucks, dropping rebounds into dangerous areas, and time and time again made his 210-pound self look small.

Special(er) teams

Toronto came into the game with the worst combined power play and penalty kill percentages league wide.

And while they didn't light the world on fire with their four opportunities with a man up, they held the NHL's third-ranked power play and top two point producers at bay twice, conceding just two shots.

And instant replay notwithstanding

After scoring his long overdue debut goal for Toronto, it appeared as though Brad Boyes needed just two shifts to record another.

But before the officiating crew could collect and drop the puck, Stars coach Lindy Ruff contested - with a little assistance from an assistant in a headset - that Boyes' line mate, Byron Froese, was offside with his zone entry.

The man in the headset was right.