Late goal lifts Maple Leafs over Rangers

TORONTO – Troy Stecher scored with 26.3 seconds left in regulation as the Toronto Maple Leafs topped the New York Rangers 5-4 in a back-and-forth affair for their third straight victory Thursday.

Brandon Duhaime, with a goal and two assists, Teddy Blueger, Kirill Marchenko and Easton Cowan provided the rest of the offence for Toronto (6-4-2).

Sergei Bobrovsky made 21 saves. Zack MacEwen added two assists. Blueger also had an assist for a two-point night.

Mika Zibanejad, with a goal and an assist, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Tye Kartye and Alexis Lafrenière replied for New York (7-4-1), which got 31 stops from Dylan Garand. Adam Fox chipped in four assists.

Stecher’s winner came on a delayed penalty after he took a pass from Morgan Rielly and ripped a shot upstairs.

After the teams traded goals inside the game’s first six minutes, Blueger put Toronto ahead with his first for the club at 10:01 on a shot that just dribbled over the line. New York evened things 2-2 at 2:37 of the second when Bjorkstrand beat Bobrovsky from in tight.

The visitors nudged in front at 6:30 when Kartye tipped home a point shot, but Duhaime buried his own rebound 90 seconds later — also his first goal in blue and white — to get Toronto level again.

Marchenko gave the home side the lead with 50 seconds left in the period on a power play, but Lafrenière knotted the score again at 14:25 of the third.

Bobrovsky tied Rangers legend Henrik Lundqvist for the most wins by a non-North American goaltender with 459. The pair now share sixth on the all-time list.

TAKEAWAYS

Maple Leafs: Shutdown defenceman Jake McCabe suited up after taking a high stick to his left eye in Tuesday’s 6-2 road victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Rangers: Zibanejad’s next power-play goal will tie him with Daniel Sedin for second all-time among Swedish players at 138. Mats Sundin leads his countrymen with 160 career goals on the man advantage.

KEY MOMENT

Stecher’s winner came after Nick Paul was tripped in the offensive zone for a delayed penalty.

KEY STAT

Maple Leafs captain and star centre Auston Matthews sits two points shy of 800 for his career. The 29-year-old, who played his 701st regular-season game Thursday, is poised to become the third-fastest American to reach the mark behind Brett Hull (624 games) and Pat LaFontaine (664 games).

COMING UP

Maple Leafs: Visit the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday.

Rangers: Visit the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2026.