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Published Nov 27, 2025 • Last updated 48 minutes ago • 4 minute read
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Toronto Maple Leafs’ William Nylander (88) celebrates his overtime goal to win with teammates Easton Cowan (53), Jake McCabe (22), and Auston Matthews (34) as Columbus Blue Jackets’ Sean Monahan (23) moves past Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)Article content
You likely won’t find a team more thankful to begin this American holiday than the Maple Leafs.
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They came out of Columbus – and last place in the division/conference for the time being — with a 2-1 overtime win, just their second in nine games and second road victory of a troubled season.
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Old and new faces in coach Craig Berube’s lineup made news in our takeaways:
JOE SAYS NO
Performances in net that have stolen a point or two have been rare this month, but Joseph Woll’s 35 saves in his 50th career win superseded two late Toronto goals.
With plenty of question marks surrounding him after missing camp and the first month of the season for a stint at home for personal reasons, he stood up to two of Toronto’s nemeses, Zach Werenski and Adam Fantilli, with only Werenski’s late third period goal on an odd-man rush getting through.
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While scrolling through a long list of Leaf deficiencies compared to last season, put poor defensive play and some soft goals at the top. Wednesday was more of what the Leafs are used to seeing from Woll and when healthy, Anthony Stolarz.
“Looks like he’s on his toes, seeing things well, playing a lot of pucks,” Berube told media in Columbus. “His battle was really good tonight, he fought through traffic.”
One of the occasions that could’ve turned the tide against the Leafs was a 3-on-1 shorthanded chance for the Jackets, while Woll denied Adam Fantilli on seven shots, a player Berube admitted “has his way with us” in most meetings.
Woll will have to take some kind of breather this weekend when the Leafs have a back-to-back, facing the Washington Capitals Friday and Pittsburgh Saturday, the third and fourth of six consecutive road contests.
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BATTLE OF WILLS
There has been a near-comical aspect to the relationship between old-school Berube and free spirit William Nylander since the former took charge behind Toronto’s bench nearly 15 months ago. They often joke about not understanding each other themselves.
But Toronto’s tumble has lessened the coach’s patience, with Nylander counted on for so much offensively and defensively with the injured Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies out of the picture the past while.
During a Wednesday stoppage, TV cameras caught Berube berating Nylander about something gone askew on a previous play (the winger looked indifferent on a couple of plays through the evening) while Nylander calmly sipped from a water bottle standing by the bench. It appeared he was sat a shift after that, but it was No. 88’s forecheck that started Easton Cowan’s tying goal and he made the winner, breaking the franchise record with 15 overtime goals, look ridiculously easy on Jet Greaves.
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Only once since Oct. 13 has Nylander not bagged at least a point in a game. He and John Tavares have continued to cook while Matthews and Knies have been absent. No. 88 might drive Berube bananas at times, but the Leafs won’t get out of this funk without his contributions.
THE BOYS ARE BACK
Matthews was the most scrutinized of the three injured returnees with Knies and centre Nicolas Roy. Credit El Capitano with three shots on goal, three other attempts, three misses in almost 25 minutes of ice time.
Matthews got hot when the linesmen were being too fussy in faceoffs of which he won nine of 15 and looked frustrated on the bench craving a goal or assist. Knies nearly delivered for him on a couple of swats in close, but neither could Matthews and company get anything going on two power plays. Toronto went to a five-forward look for the first time.
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Berube thought Max Domi might siphon some of the adrenaline Matthews and Knies would get in their comeback game and was placed on their left wing at 5-on-5, with a couple of chances for the snakebitten Domi.
“They have familiarity and we were trying to even the lines out tonight with some different looks,” Berube explained.
He and his staff made the overdue call to sit the unproductive Dakota Joshua, joined by Matias Maccelli, with both likely to stay inactive until at least the Pittsburgh game.
COWAN CRAMMING HIS EXAMS
The Leafs have decided the rookie Cowan can be a big part of this team, despite its struggles. His elevation to the Nylander-Tavares line is continuing proof.
While the kid was likely mortified when he tried to force a puck back to the point on the power play that led to Columbus’s 3-on-1, he worked himself into position to snap in the veteran Tavares’s pass for his second in 15 games to make it 1-1 with a few minutes remaining.
“Are there mistakes? Definitely,” Berube said. “He’s young, but he learns from them, he listens and wants to get better. He’s got ice water (in his veins), he just plays and doesn’t feel the pressure and knows his capabilities.”
With a new generation of NHL stars making noise around the NHL, it’s good the Leafs have retained at least one high draft they can develop after many trades of picks and prospects in failed attempts to get on a playoff run.
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