Maple Leafs Roll Past Hurricanes for a Confident Third Straight Win
So this matchup between the Maple Leafs and the Hurricanes turned into one of those nights where everything just seemed to fall into place for Toronto. The Leafs walked into Raleigh looking to close out their six-game road trip on a strong note, and they absolutely delivered with a 5–1 win. What really stood out was how quickly the tone of the game was set. Toronto scored on their very first shot, not even a minute in, and from there, the momentum just kept tilting their way.
Bobby McMann was one of the big stories of the night. He found the net twice, including that early opener that somehow slipped in after hitting the post and bouncing off Frederik Andersen. It wasn’t pretty, but it counted, and sometimes those are the goals that settle a team in. Scott Laughton followed it up with a goal created from a quirky bounce off the glass, the kind of break every road team hopes for. Suddenly it was 2–0, and Carolina were chasing the game before they had even settled in.
The Hurricanes did manage to pull one back when Seth Jarvis finished a sharp passing play, and for a moment it felt like they might claw their way back. But Toronto’s defensive game stiffened, and the key battles in the neutral zone were being won shift after shift. Jordan Staal even pointed out how tough it was to generate clean chances because the Leafs were clogging lanes and blocking everything in sight.
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Then came maybe the highlight of the night: Matthew Knies scoring a spectacular solo effort early in the second period. He poked the puck loose, got knocked down, kept possession, fought off two defenders, and still managed to lift a smooth backhand past Andersen. It was the kind of goal that takes the energy out of a building, and it put Toronto right back in control.
Auston Matthews eventually made it 4–1 on a clean 2-on-1 finish set up by Max Domi, who was buzzing all night with two assists. Matthews talked afterward about how all four lines were punching in their weight and how the team was really starting to build something on this trip. That chemistry definitely showed.
McMann sealed it with an empty-netter late in the third, wrapping up a night where the Leafs simply looked sharper, hungrier, and more connected. Even with Joseph Woll leaving after two periods because of a lower-body injury, Dennis Hildeby stepped in calmly and stopped everything Carolina threw at him.
In the end, it wasn’t just a win—it was a statement. Three straight victories, production from up and down the lineup, and a sense of confidence that the coach said had grown throughout the trip. Meanwhile, Andersen’s struggles continued, and the Hurricanes were left frustrated by missed chances and a tough start they couldn’t recover from.
All in all, Toronto’s night belonged to effort, execution, and a few big-time plays at just the right moments.
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