Gavin McKenna broke through with his first NHL goal and first assist, while Auston Matthews finished a four-point night by scoring with 14 seconds remaining in overtime as the Toronto Maple Leafs erased a three-goal hole to beat the Nashville Predators 5-4 at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday.
Key takeaways
- McKenna, selected first overall in the 2026 NHL Draft, collected his first NHL points after opening his career with three scoreless games.
- Matthews scored the overtime winner and set up three Toronto goals, with William Nylander adding one goal and two assists.
- Toronto improved to 2-2-0, and every Maple Leafs game this season has been settled by a single goal.
- Steven Stamkos and Nils Hoglander each scored twice for Nashville, which moved to 1-1-1.
- Anthony Stolarz stopped 21 shots for Toronto; Juuse Saros faced heavy traffic and made 33 saves for the Predators.
Leafs climb out of early hole
Nashville controlled the first half of the game, building a 3-0 lead before Toronto found its response. Stamkos opened the scoring on the power play at 7:13 of the first period, converting a rebound from Matthew Wood’s attempt near the left circle. The Maple Leafs had three opportunities to send the puck down the ice during that penalty kill but could not get it out.
Hoglander doubled the lead at 9:08. Adam Wilsby fired a puck around the end boards, and Hoglander gathered it on the left side of the crease before slipping it inside the post with Stolarz caught moving across.
The Predators extended their advantage early in the second period. Filip Forsberg drove toward the net, and Hoglander knocked home the loose puck from beside the crease at 3:03 for his second of the night.
Toronto answered less than two minutes later, and McKenna played a central part in the pushback. He fed John Tavares through the neutral zone, and Tavares carried into the left circle before beating Saros over the blocker at 4:56.
Nylander brought the Leafs within one on the power play at 6:58. Matthews tested Saros, whose right pad made the initial stop, but Nylander was in the slot to finish the rebound.
Stamkos restored Nashville’s two-goal cushion at 13:30 of the middle period, wiring a shot over Stolarz’s glove from the top of the right circle. McKenna then delivered his first NHL goal at 14:31, taking Matthews’ pass from the right boards and firing from above the right faceoff dot past Saros’ blocker to make it 4-3.
Matthews seals the extra-point win
Toronto finally drew level at 8:54 of the third. Matthews sent Jack Roslovic away alone, and Roslovic moved in tight before lifting a shot over Saros’ glove.
Nylander briefly appeared to have given the Maple Leafs their first lead at 11:49, but Nashville challenged the entry and the goal was overturned for offside.
That only delayed Toronto’s finish. In overtime, Nylander fired from the bottom of the right circle, and Matthews buried the rebound with 14 seconds on the clock to complete the comeback.
Nylander finished with three points, while Roslovic posted a goal and an assist. Forsberg assisted on both Nashville goals scored by Hoglander, but the Predators could not protect their early advantage in a game that again went down to the final bounce for Toronto.
