The Toronto Maple Leafs faced a difficult night on Saturday, November 8, 2025, suffering a 5-3 defeat against their rivals, the Boston Bruins, at Scotiabank Arena. The loss was made more painful by a significant injury to a key player and a goaltending change.
Injury and Fight Overshadow On-Ice Action
The game took a concerning turn in the second period when Maple Leafs centre Scott Laughton was forced to leave with an upper-body injury. The injury occurred after a heavy hit from Bruins defenceman Nikita Zadorov. This was particularly unfortunate timing for Laughton, who was playing in just his second game after returning from a previous lower-body issue. Teammate Bobby McMann immediately came to Laughton's defense, engaging in a fight with Zadorov.
Stolarz Pulled and a Post Denies Nylander
Adding to the Leafs' troubles, goaltender Anthony Stolarz was pulled from the game for the first time in his tenure with the team, excluding a prior injury-related change. The decision came after the Bruins built a 4-3 lead. Dennis Hildeby replaced Stolarz and performed admirably, stopping 19 of 20 shots he faced.
The Leafs also experienced a stroke of bad luck. With the score still close, a shot from William Nylander struck both the crossbar and the post behind Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman, but the puck frustratingly did not cross the goal line. The Bruins then sealed their victory with a goal from former Leafs prospect Fraser Minten with only three minutes left in regulation.
Game Momentum Swings in Boston's Favor
The teams were tied 2-2 after a back-and-forth first period. The Leafs had initially taken a 1-0 lead on a power-play goal by Nick Robertson just over three minutes into the game. However, the Bruins responded with two quick goals from Morgan Geekie and Viktor Arvidsson just 20 seconds apart. Leafs forward Matias Maccelli tied the game midway through the period.
In the second period, the Bruins capitalized on their opportunities to pull ahead. Mikey Eyssimont gave Boston a 3-2 lead on a power-play goal that was confirmed by video review, and David Pastrnak made it 4-2 with a spectacular individual effort. A power-play goal from Leafs captain John Tavares brought Toronto back to within one goal before the second intermission.
Despite scoring twice on three power-play opportunities, showing improvement from their early-season struggles, the Leafs saw their three-game winning streak come to an end.
