November 7 | Scotiabank Arena
The Toronto Maple Leafs suffered another frustrating defeat Saturday night, falling 4–2 to the Montreal Canadiens in an Original Six rivalry matchup.
Montreal built a 3–0 lead before Toronto mounted a third-period comeback.
However, the Canadiens responded with a power-play goal to shut down the Leafs’ rally and secure the victory.
Game Breakdown
First Period
Montreal came out aggressively and took control with two goals from Alex Newhook.
Toronto struggled with the Canadiens’ forecheck and had difficulty generating sustained offensive pressure.
Second Period
Chris Kreider capitalized on a Toronto turnover and scored on a breakaway to give Montreal a commanding 3–0 advantage.
Third Period
The Maple Leafs finally found their offence. William Nylander scored on the power play, followed by Gavin McKenna just 55 seconds later.
Suddenly, Toronto was back within one.
But Zachary Bolduc answered with a Montreal power-play goal, restoring the two-goal cushion and ending Toronto’s comeback hopes.
Three Stars
Alex Newhook, Montreal – Two goals.
Jacob Fowler, Montreal – 26 saves.
William Nylander, Toronto – Power-play goal.
What Went Wrong for Toronto
Defensive turnovers created dangerous Montreal scoring chances.
The Leafs fell behind 3–0 before finding their offensive rhythm.
Montreal capitalized on two power-play opportunities.
Toronto’s late comeback was not enough.
Final Assessment
The Maple Leafs showed some fight in the third period, but the slow start and defensive mistakes proved costly.
Against a Montreal team playing with confidence, Toronto could not afford to give away early opportunities.
The Leafs have now lost four of their last five games.
Next Game: New Jersey Devils at Toronto Maple Leafs, November 8.
The Leafs need a much stronger start and a more disciplined defensive performance to get back on track.
