TORONTO – Captain Auston Matthews shook off a hunch with a purpose and two assists, and Matthew Knies scored twice to steer the Toronto Maple Leafs to a sloppy 7-5 win towards the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.
Within the first recreation for the provincial rivals after the three-day Christmas break, the Maple Leafs (17-15-5) prolonged their mini win streak to 2 video games. The Senators (18-14-5) dropped their second straight earlier than 18,859 at Scotiabank Area.
Matthews had gone 4 video games with out a level however loved his first three-point outing of the season. He arrange William Nylander on the facility play to open the scoring, assisted on Bobby McMann’s go-ahead purpose early within the second interval, and scored on his subsequent shift for a 4-2 Toronto benefit.
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The Senators pulled to inside a purpose twice, however Knies’ second with 14:07 remaining stood up because the winner.
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The Maple Leafs jumped out to a 2-0 lead after a Knies’ power-play purpose. However Ottawa’s Nick Cousins scored late within the first interval, and Ridly Greig pulled his crew even 18 seconds into the second interval.
Toronto then exploded for 3 targets from McMann, Matthews and Nick Robertson earlier than the tip of the second interval. However Drake Batherson and Tim Stutzle scored within the opening 5:07 of the third to make it a one-goal recreation.
Max Domi loved a three-assist recreation. Ottawa’s Claude Giroux performed in his 1,three hundredth profession recreation and had two assists.
The Maple Leafs outshot the guests 33-31. Linus Ullmark was pulled after the Matthews purpose in favour of backup Leevi Merilainen. Joseph Woll was adequate for his seventh win in 12 begins.
TAKEAWAYS
Leafs: Nylander left the sport after his third shift within the second interval with an undisclosed harm. After lacking just one recreation within the earlier 4 years, he has been absent from 4 video games this season.
Senators: After 210 AHL regular-season video games with the Bakersfield Condors and Belleville Senators, former Edmonton Oilers first-round decide Xavier Bourgault of L’Islet, Que., made his NHL debut.
KEY MOMENT
Knies’ second of the sport and recreation winner got here 47 seconds after Stutzle made it a one-goal recreation early within the third interval.
KEY STAT
The Maple Leafs entered the sport final in power-play effectivity, however scored two power-play targets within the first interval towards the Senators’ Thirty first-place penalty-killing unit. It was the primary time Toronto had scored two power-play targets in a recreation since Nov. 8 in a loss to the Boston Bruins.
UP NEXT
Senators: Host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday.
Maple Leafs: Go to the Detroit Pink Wings on Sunday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Dec. 27, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
