The Maple Leafs beat the New York Rangers 4-3 on Wednesday night at Scotiabank Arena. The team has a day off on Thursday.
—
Blue Jays players Ernie Clement and George Springer helped pump up the Leafs in the dressing room before Wednesday’s game against the New York Rangers.
“It was unreal,” said centre John Tavares, who scored the game-winning goal in Toronto’s 4-3 victory. “It was a little different type of preparation, but cool to have them in before and certainly [after] to celebrate a win.”
The Leafs are playing out the stretch in a disappointing season while the defending American League champion Jays are preparing for Friday’s season opener.
“Regardless of the circumstances for us, I think it’s great, the support for each other,” said Tavares, who was in attendance for a few Jays playoff games last fall. “We love supporting them and it was unreal taking in their run. I know the excitement and probably the determination for them to go back out again and finish the job … really cool to share the admiration for one another.”
The group of Jays in attendance on Wednesday welcomed the Leafs back into the dressing room following the win.
“Pretty cool to have them in here after,” said goalie Joseph Woll. “They mean a lot for this city and everyone was pretty dialled in watching [their run]. They were so close, so hopefully they get an opportunity to do it again.”
“We are cheering them on and wishing them good luck,” said coach Craig Berube. “It is great that they come to support and hang out a little bit. Really good guys.”
‘It was unreal’: Tavares, Leafs appreciate support from Springer, Jays The Leafs appreciated having a group of Blue Jays, including George Springer and Ernie Clement, in their dressing room before and after Wednesday’s game. “It was unreal,” said John Tavares. “It was a little different type of preparation, but cool to have them in before and certainly to celebrate a win.”
—
The presence of the Jays injected a little extra juice into the dressing room and the building in general as the Leafs played for the second time in two nights.
There was already a layer of added emotion, because Wednesday’s game marked the second and final one of the team’s Mentors Trip.
“Obviously it’s been a grind for us coming back from the break and certainly where we’re at,” said Tavares, who invited his father-in-law as his special guest. “A different type of energy the last couple days.”
The Leafs delivered an impressive performance in front of their mentors on Tuesday night at TD Garden where they beat the playoff-chasing Boston Bruins 4-2. It was the first time Toronto outshot a team in a win since Jan. 31 in Vancouver when they beat the NHL’s worst team in a shootout.
“A fun couple games with having our mentors around,” said defenceman Jake McCabe, who had his dad in the crowd. “It’s been tough sledding around here, so it’s nice to collect some points over these last couple games.”
Craig Berube on Leafs Mentors Trip:
“One guy wanted a couple hockey cards signed by me, so that made me feel pretty good 😀. I was shocked”
It was Steven Lorentz’s guest, his wife’s grandfather, who asked for the autographs @BarDown
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) March 25, 2026
This is the first time since early February, just before the Olympic break, that the Leafs have posted back-to-back wins. The four points lifted Toronto to 21st in the overall standings and lessened the chances of the team retaining its first-round pick this year, which will go to the Bruins if it’s not in the top five.
And while that may have some fans feeling down, the players are finally feeling up.
“We’re not in the best place right now, but you wouldn’t know it,” Berube said. “It’s still great to win games.”
So, any chance the mentors will be kept around for Saturday’s trip to St. Louis?
“We’re going to bring them on the road!” Berube said to laughs.
David McCabe on what it was like to see his son Jake score vs. Rangers Jake McCabe’s father, David joins TSN’s Mark Masters to explain what it was like to see his son score against the Rangers, the highlight of the mentor’s trip with the Maple Leafs for him, where Jake gets his hardnosed style of play from, and more.
—
The Leafs have gone 4-2-2 since March 12, which was the day captain Auston Matthews sustained a season-ending injury via a knee-on-knee hit by Radko Gudas. None of the other Leafs on the ice confronted the Anaheim Ducks defenceman after the initial hit, which led to a rebuke by Berube and some soul searching by the players.
“I just think we’re playing a lot harder,” said Woll. “Hopefully we carry that momentum.”
Prior to March 12, the Leafs ranked 26th in penalty minutes. Since March 12, Toronto leads the NHL in penalty minutes and has racked up five fighting majors.
Dakota Joshua dropped the gloves with Nikita Zadorov on Tuesday night after the Bruins defenceman received a boarding major for a hit on Tavares. Rookie winger Easton Cowan received a roughing minor for jumping in immediately to confront Zadorov.
“You have ‘Cowboy’ jumping in on Zadorov the other night and that’s the intensity you have to play with,” Woll said. “Dak with the big fight. I just think we’re playing a lot harder and it’s awesome to see.”
Joshua took a cross-checking penalty on Tye Kartye after the Rangers forward hit Matias Maccelli on Wednesday.
Toronto was shorthanded five times in Boston and four more times against New York.
“We have been taking too many penalties of late, for sure, but I think the guys are pretty tuned into getting involved, sticking up for each other, and getting in there, which is good,” said Berube. “I’ve got no problem with it. We don’t need to retaliate on some of the plays, but the guys getting in there and stepping up for each other is really important … It goes a long way. It goes a long way with culture and team chemistry.”
Joshua scored a goal, picked up an assist, and landed six hits in Wednesday’s win.
“The season hasn’t gone the way we wanted it to personally or as a team,” Joshua acknowledged. “But it’s important to build some momentum here towards the end and feel good about your performances going into the end of the season.”
Leafs sweep Mentors Trip as ‘culture and chemistry’ continue to improve in wake of Matthews-Gudas incident The Leafs swept both games of their Mentors Trip while continuing to pile up penalty minutes. Since the non-response to the Radko Gudas knee on Auston Matthews, the players are not hesitating to jump in when there are flashpoints in the game. “It goes a long way with culture and team chemistry,” coach Craig Berube said.
—
McCabe snapped a 50-game drought with a first-period goal on Wednesday.
“It’s funny, my kids were giving me a hard time today,” McCabe revealed post-game with a smile. “They said, ‘Dad, you never score goals. When are you going to score a goal?’ So, it’s nice to get one, especially in the first period when I know they’re still up watching. I’m looking forward to seeing their reaction.”
McCabe’s dad enjoyed seeing his son’s fourth goal of the season.
“It’s always nice to see the big hits, but I’d rather see him score,” David McCabe told TSN.
His son is a gritty defender, who leads the NHL with 173 blocked shots this season.
“Always great when heart-and-soul guys like that come through and get rewarded,” said Tavares.
McCabe, who leads the Leafs in ice time (22:28 TOI/G) and plus-minus (+14), received the player-of-the-game belt from Cowan.
“He has been a hell of a leader for us this year and last year,” said Berube. “We’re lucky to have him.”
McCabe worked for his dad’s construction company back home in Wisconsin at times during his youth. Does he get his hard-nosed style from his old man?
“I’d like to think it’s from me,” David McCabe said. “I always tried to teach him to play the body, so it must’ve worked. Jake was the youngest of the family. He’s four years younger than his brother and sister. He tried to keep up with them and now he definitely is keeping up with them.”
‘Dad, you never score’: McCabe snaps 50-game drought after critique by kids Jake McCabe scored his first goal since Nov. 18 in Wednesday’s win. “My kids were giving me a hard time today,” the Leafs defenceman revealed post-game. “They said, ‘Dad, you never score goals. When are you going to score?’ So, nice to get one especially in the first period when I know they’re still up watching.”
—
Woll picked up an assist on Joshua’s goal.
“I didn’t even know I got an assist,” the 27-year-old goalie said with a big smile. “I got to rewatch it. I don’t even know how it unfolded. I forget. Was it a save?”
Woll knocked down an attempted pass by Rangers rookie Gabe Perreault, which led to a Joshua rush up the ice.
The assist represented Woll’s first career NHL point in his 113th game. Your humble correspondent wondered if the drought had been weighing on him.
“Oh yeah,” Woll chuckled. “The lady out there told me it was my first point. I’m like, ‘Geez, it’s taking me long enough.’ I would’ve thought I would’ve got something. Not a point guy.”
That’s fine by the Leafs, who appreciated Woll’s 40-save performance on Wednesday.
“Great again,” Tavares said. “Obviously a lot of shots. We were shorthanded too much again, so he just came up big and battled hard and continued to just be really strong. I thought he controlled a lot of pucks so there wasn’t too many second and third opportunities. We tried to do the best job we can in and around him, but he’s got a lot of control of that as well. He did a really good job of just swallowing things up and deflecting things away from the net. He’s a true pro with the way he prepares and the way he goes about his business. It’s been great to see him build his game.”
Woll’s strong outing came on the heels of a great effort from Anthony Stolarz in Boston.
Woll missed the start of the season due to personal leave while Stolarz missed significant time with a nerve injury. Now, finally, Toronto’s tandem is looking like the force it was last season. A reporter asked if the goalies are looking to lay a foundation for the next season.
“Our mindset is to play as well as we can and give our team a chance every night,” Woll said. “Obviously we both want to be here and we want to win here. Yeah, exactly like you said.”
‘Took me long enough’: Woll picks up first NHL point to help Leafs solve Shesterkin Joseph Woll picked up an assist during Wednesday’s win over the Rangers. “The lady out there told me it was my first point,” the Leafs goalie said with a grin. “I’m like, ‘Geez, it’s taking me long enough’ … Not a point guy.” Woll also made 40 saves to outduel Igor Shesterkin.
—
Lines to start Wednesday’s game:
Cowan – Tavares – Nylander
Knies – Domi – Robertson
Maccelli – Groulx – Joshua
Lorentz – Quillan – Jarnkrok
Rielly – Carlo
McCabe – Ekman-Larsson
Benoit – Stecher
Woll
Stolarz
