The Toronto Maple Leafs picked up a key 4-2 win over the Boston Bruins, powered by a strong showing from Matthew Knies. The young forward scored twice and added two hits, but his shorthanded effort drew the most attention.
Knies tied the game 1-1 in the second period with a powerful goal that highlighted his strength on the puck. It marked the first shorthanded goal of his NHL career. The NHL later shared the clip on X, writing, "Pure strength from Matthew Knies makes this goal possible! 💪."
Knies later sealed the win with an empty-net power-play goal with 22 seconds left. That second goal gave Knies 59 points this season, including 20 goals, setting a new career high. He has also recorded 136 hits and 130 shots, showing his impact beyond scoring.
Toronto snapped a three-game losing streak with the win. Max Domi and William Nylander also scored, while John Tavares added three assists. The Leafs outshot Boston 35-20 and avoided a season sweep in this Original Six matchup.
Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
In goal, Anthony Stolarz made 18 saves in a strong return after a recent injury scare. On the other side, Jeremy Swayman stopped 31 shots for Boston, which had been strong at home. Goals from Elias Lindholm and Charlie McAvoy were not enough.
The Leafs still sit near the bottom of the Atlantic Division with an inconsistent season. However, this win could give them momentum as they host the New York Rangers next.
