Maple Leafs defeat Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 but lose Matthew Knies in the process
Toronto Maple Leafs' Fraser Minten (39) celebrates with Jake McCabe (22) and William Nylander (88) after scoring the team's opening goal against Vegas Golden Knights during first period NHL hockey action in Toronto, on Wednesday, November 20, 2024. Credit: AP/Chris Young
TORONTO — Fraser Minten scored his first NHL goal as the injury-ravaged Toronto Maple Leafs blanked the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 on Wednesday night.
William Nylander scored his 13th of the season at 3:01 of the third on the power play. Pontus Holmberg added an empty-net goal.
Joseph Woll stopped all 31 shots he faced for his first shutout of the season. Adin Hill got the start for Vegas and made 23 saves.
Toronto has won six of its last seven. Vegas has lost two straight as coach Bruce Cassidy seeks his 400th career victory.
Takeaways
Both teams were without their captains with Toronto’s Auston Matthews (upper-body injury) missing his seventh straight game and Vegas’ Mark Stone (lower body) his sixth. The Leafs were also missing Max Domi, David Kampf, Max Pacioretty and Calle Jarnkrok while Ryan Reaves started his five-game suspension for an illegal check to the head against the Oilers' Darnell Nurse.
Key Moment
Toronto forward Matthew Knies was left dazed following a mid-ice hit by Zach Whitecloud in front of the Leafs’ bench in the second period. Whitecloud, who stood up as he delivered the hit, was not penalized for the punishing check but got a minor roughing penalty for tangling with Toronto’s Simon Benoit, who got four minutes for his attempted retribution. The game got more physical after that. Knies (upper-body injury) did not return to the game.
Key Stat
Toronto held off the NHL’s second-best power play unit, with Vegas going 0 for 3 with the man advantage.
Toronto Maple Leafs Nikita Grebenkin (71) tangles on the boards with Vegas Golden Knights William Karlsson (71) during first period NHL hockey action in Toronto, on Wednesday, November 20, 2024. Credit: AP/Chris Young
Up Next
Toronto wraps up a three-game homestand Sunday against the Utah Hockey Club. Las Vegas continues its five-game road trip in Ottawa on Thursday.