Maple Leafs beat Ducks 6-4 to end 8-game slide, Matthews injured

Auston Matthews was helped off the ice after a knee-on-knee hit from Anaheim's Radko Gudas.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 2:10am

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The Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Anaheim Ducks 6-4 on Thursday night to end an eight-game losing streak, but the victory was tempered by the loss of captain Auston Matthews to a knee injury. Matthews was injured on a knee-on-knee hit from Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas in the second period and had to be helped off the ice.

Why it matters

The Maple Leafs have struggled since the Olympic break, going 1-6-2 and sinking their playoff hopes. The loss of Matthews, their star player, is a major blow as they try to turn their season around.

The details

William Nylander broke a tie on a power play 36 seconds into the third period to lead the Maple Leafs to the victory. Matias Maccell had a goal and two assists, and John Tavares and Benoit-Olivier Groulx also scored. Cutter Gauthier, Ian Moore, Pavel Mintyukov and Alex Killorn scored for the Ducks.

  • The incident involving Matthews occurred with four minutes left in the second period.
  • The game was played on Thursday, March 12, 2026.

The players

Auston Matthews

The captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs who was injured on a knee-on-knee hit.

Radko Gudas

The Anaheim Ducks defenseman who delivered the knee-on-knee hit on Auston Matthews.

William Nylander

The Toronto Maple Leafs player who scored the game-winning goal on a power play in the third period.

Matias Maccell

The Toronto Maple Leafs player who had a goal and two assists in the game.

Joseph Woll

The Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender who made 36 saves in the game.

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What’s next

The Maple Leafs will play their next game on Saturday night against the Buffalo Sabres, while the Ducks will visit the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.

The takeaway

The Maple Leafs' victory was bittersweet as they lost their captain Auston Matthews to a knee injury, which could have major implications for their playoff hopes as they try to end an eight-game losing streak.