Morgan Rielly’s overtime winner keeps Leafs undefeated in January

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Published Jan 05, 2025  •  2 minute read

Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Matthew Knies (23) celebrates his goal with teammates Auston Matthews (34) and Chris Tanev (8) during first period NHL hockey action against the Philadelphia Flyers, in Toronto on Jan. 5, 2025. Photo by Frank Gunn /The Canadian Press

The Maple Leafs’ New Year’s resolution apparently is not to lose a game in 2025. 

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Not even a difficult back-to-back opponent in the Philadelphia Flyers or down to five defencemen for 40 minutes after a Jake McCabe injury stopped them Sunday night in a 3-2 overtime win. 

Moragn Rielly snapped the winner short side on Ivan Fedotov on an Auston Matthews pass at 2:25 of the extra period, giving first-place Toronto four straight wins since New Year’s Eve.  

No player on either team had faced the 6-foot-7 starting goalies, Dennis Hildeby of Toronto and Flyer Ivan Fedotov. Hildeby gave up the first good scoring chance as Tyson Foerster found room on his blocker side off the rush, the Leafs countering next shift, Matthew Knies on Matthews’ rebound for his fourth of the weekend and 30th career.  

Fedotov quickly redeemed himself with Connor Dewar on his doorstep, while Hildeby followed up a save on Foerster by getting a glove on Nick Seeler in the slot. Toronto took a lead into intermission when defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson followed up a good fourth line shift and fat Fedotov rebound, poking in his second of the year. 

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But Toronto lost McCabe just prior to intermission with a suspected head injury, after he hit the ice during a fight with Garnet Hathaway that evolved from the Flyer forward bumping Hildeby.    

Knies was just returning to the ice in the second period from his own penalty when Scott Laughton tipped in a back-door feed from Sean Couturier. The Leafs had to kill another to David Kampf before the period ended, another to Max Domi in the third after he elbowed Hathaway.  

Hildeby made 31 sabes. While Matthews is making up for lost time on the line with Knies and Mitch Marner, second line right winger William Nylander has now gone seven games without a goal after reaching 23 and briefly getting among NHL leaders. 

The Leafs now embark on a two-game swing away, including the road half of the Philly series Tuesday and Thursday in Carolina. It’s the “mentors’ trip” in which they bring someone important in their personal development to sample NHL life. 

Lhornby@postmedia.com 

X: @sunhornby 

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