Hurricanes knock the wind out of Leafs’ winning streak

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Published Jan 09, 2025  •  3 minute read

Jordan Staal of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates after scoring one of his three goals against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Lenovo Center on Jan. 9, 2025 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Photo by Jaylynn Nash /Getty Images

This was hardly the first time the motoring Maple Leafs have taken a wrong turn on Tobacco Road.

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After grinding out most of their five straight wins before Thursday, Atlantic Division-leading Toronto conked out in a wide-open 6-3 decision to the Carolina Hurricanes. It was the fifth consecutive loss to coach Rod Brind’Amour’s steely team and old on-ice nemesis Jordan Staal, the longest active struggle the Leafs have had against any foe.

It was Staal’s forechecking work against opposing captain Auston Matthews’ line that defined the evening, getting his stick on a puck ahead of Matthews 20 seconds into the final period for a back-breaking hat trick. Seth Jarvis added an empty netter.

Matthews and Mitch Marner ended the evening both minus 6. 

A very atypical night for the Leafs, unused to trailing during their successful run, usually in good shape after they score first (an impressive slate of 17-2-0 coming in) and when all else fails, getting help from goalie Joseph Woll.  

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And what better way to throw the conference’s best home team this season off kilter right away than get two early breakaways and a 2-on-1? William Nylander was all in, but it took his third opportunity to end an eight-game goal slump. 

He rang one off the post on a set-up from John Tavares, was stopped outright by goalie Pyotr Kochetkov on a low deke, then successfully went high blocker again for his first goal since Dec. 21. That followed Nick Robertson’s goal after being a healthy scratch Tuesday, triggered by a hit from promoted winger Steven Lorentz, Robertson’s fourth in as many games versus the Canes. 

But there was plenty of pushback with speed and snarl as Carolina tied it in a 17-second span. A well-meaning Robertson blocked a point shot, but the high deflection got away from Woll and Eric Robinson swept it in. 

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Staal then struck, after Matthews had tried to double up coverage that defenceman Chris Tanev was managing fine. The Leafs killed a Morgan Rielly penalty, then Woll made a last-second save or it could have been worse after one period. Woll had to be alert several times, stretching his pad for saves and one to seal the post in the middle frame that invoked video review to make sure the puck hadn’t crossed the line.    

The yin and yang of Toronto’s five-forward power was on display in the second period after Knies drew a high stick from Brent Burns. Nylander and Marner didn’t have the chops to stop to get back and stop Staal’s second goal. But rather than yank Nylander, Marner, Matthews, Tavares and Matthew Knies, coach Craig Berube kept them on the ice. Matthews and Knies repaid that faith, crowding the net and Matthews notched his third goal in four games with a diving poke. 

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But Oliver Ekman-Larsson was beaten on a rush and Jackson Blake, son of Leaf 2008 Masterton Trophy winner Jason, put his club ahead. 

Berube mixed up his defensive pairs in the ongoing absence of Jake McCabe, reverting to the summer picnic table napkin that had Rielly and Tanev together, trying a new tandem with newbie Philippe Myers and Ekman-Larsson, who has had to switch to the left side. 

But by the end of the night, Berube was moving many bodies around trying to get through the home side’s curtain and have more to show for 30-plus shots. 

The Leafs, with their mentors along this week, return home to face Vancouver on Saturday, though the Canucks have to detour through Raleigh on Friday. 

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