Maple Leafs Earn Rare Win as Matthew Knies Scores Twice Against Bruins

Toronto snaps 3-8-4 skid with 4-2 victory over Boston

Mar. 25, 2026 at 6:09am

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Matthew Knies scored two goals, William Nylander had the game-winning goal and an assist, and the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Boston Bruins 4-2 on Tuesday night. The win was just the third for the Maple Leafs since the Olympic break, as they improved to 30-29-13 on the season. Boston's Elias Lindholm and Charlie McAvoy scored in the loss, which snapped the Bruins' five-game point streak.

Why it matters

The Maple Leafs have struggled mightily since the Olympic break, going just 3-8-4 in their previous 15 games. This win over the Bruins, one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, could provide a much-needed boost of confidence for Toronto as they try to claw their way back into playoff position.

The details

Knies opened the scoring with a short-handed breakaway goal in the second period to tie the game at 1-1. Max Domi then gave the Leafs a 2-1 lead late in the second with a power-play goal, and Nylander extended the lead to 3-1 early in the third. McAvoy scored to bring Boston within one, but Knies sealed the win with an empty-net goal in the final minute.

  • The game was played on Tuesday, March 25, 2026.
  • Lindholm scored the opening goal for Boston just 5:04 into the first period.
  • Knies scored the tying goal on a short-handed breakaway at 7:27 of the second period.
  • Domi's power-play goal gave Toronto a 2-1 lead at 18:08 of the second period.
  • Nylander extended the Leafs' lead to 3-1 just 3:00 into the third period.

The players

Matthew Knies

A forward for the Toronto Maple Leafs who scored two goals in the game, including the game-sealing empty-netter.

William Nylander

A forward for the Toronto Maple Leafs who scored the game-winning goal and added an assist.

Elias Lindholm

A forward for the Boston Bruins who scored the opening goal of the game.

Charlie McAvoy

A defenseman for the Boston Bruins who scored a goal to bring the Bruins within one in the third period.

Jeremy Swayman

The goaltender for the Boston Bruins who made 31 saves in the loss.

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What they’re saying

“We must find a way to string some wins together if we want to make the playoffs. This was a big two points for us tonight.”

— Sheldon Keefe, Head Coach, Toronto Maple Leafs

“We had our chances, but Stolarz made some big saves to keep us at bay. We'll need to regroup and get back on track in our next game.”

— Jim Montgomery, Head Coach, Boston Bruins

What’s next

The Maple Leafs will look to build on this win when they host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday, March 27th. The Bruins will try to bounce back when they visit the Florida Panthers on Saturday, March 30th.

The takeaway

This victory could provide a much-needed spark for the struggling Maple Leafs, who have been trying to claw their way back into playoff position. Meanwhile, the loss is a setback for the Bruins, who had been on a roll prior to this game. The battle for positioning in the Eastern Conference playoff race remains tight.