By Field Level Media
Oct 20 (Field Level Media) – Rookie Gavin McKenna netted the game-winning goal as the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the San Jose Sharks 3-1 on Monday night.
McKenna gave the Maple Leafs a 2-1 lead 4:56 into the final frame, receiving the puck from Auston Matthews on the outside and enjoying a relatively unimpeded path toward goal. The 18-year-old was allowed to stroll forward and ping it in off the post for his first NHL power-play goal in his 10th game.
The game marked the first encounter between McKenna and Ivar Stenberg, the highly touted top two picks of the 2026 NHL Draft. McKenna was selected first overall out of Penn State, just ahead of Stenberg, who previously played in his native Sweden.
San Jose’s Mason Marchment scored in the first period before Matthews tied the game with 12 seconds remaining in the second period. Matthews added two assists, and Nick Paul sealed the outcome with an empty-net goal. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 30 shots in his first home win as a Maple Leaf. Yaroslav Askarov made 29 saves for the Sharks.
Rangers 5, Ducks 2
Rookie Dylan Garand made 29 saves, Oliver Bjorkstrand scored twice and New York remained unbeaten at home with a victory over Anaheim.
The Rangers stopped their first losing streak of the opening weeks (0-1-1) and improved to 6-0-0 at home. Sean Durzi scored 1:18 into the contest, marking the second time in team history the Rangers scored within the opening two minutes of a third straight home game. J.T. Miller and Gabe Perreault also tallied for New York.
Garand came within 69 seconds of his second career shutout before Nick Jensen and A.J. Greer scored late goals for the Ducks, who have lost three in a row.
Flyers 3, Avalanche 2
Matvei Michkov scored twice, Noel Acciari also found the net and Trevor Zegras notched three assists as Philadelphia nipped visiting Colorado.
Joseph Woll made 24 saves for the Flyers, who played without injured regulars Travis Konecny, Tyson Foerster, Owen Tippett, Cam York and Rasmus Ristolainen. Philadelphia has won back-to-back games since opening the season with nine straight winless outings.
Martin Necas and T.J. Hughes tallied for Colorado, which has alternated wins and losses in its past eight games. Avalanche goalie Mackenzie Blackwood turned aside 21 shots.
Mammoth 5, Penguins 4
Kevin Stenlund, Nate Schmidt, Nick Schmaltz and Clayton Keller each had a goal and an assist for Utah in a win over Pittsburgh in Salt Lake City.
Kailer Yamamoto also scored and Sebastian Cossa made 15 saves for the Mammoth, who have won four of their past five.
Erik Karlsson and Rickard Rakell each had a goal and an assist, Bryan Rust had two assists, Egor Chinakhov and Declan Carlile also scored, and Arturs Silovs made 24 saves for the Penguins, who have lost four in a row and seven of eight (1-6-1).
(–Field Level Media)
