Islanders Top Maple Leafs 3-1 in Toronto

Calum Ritchie scores goal and assist as New York wins ninth in 12 games

Mar. 18, 2026 at 3:24am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The New York Islanders defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1 on Tuesday night. Calum Ritchie had a goal and an assist on a pair of first-period power plays, while Brayden Schenn and Emil Heineman also scored for the Islanders, who have won nine of their last 12 games. Ilya Sorokin made 26 saves for New York, and Mathew Barzal had three assists. Steven Lorentz scored the lone goal for Toronto, and Joseph Woll stopped 31 shots.

Why it matters

The Islanders' victory comes as they continue to surge in the standings, while the Maple Leafs have struggled since losing star center Auston Matthews for the season due to a knee injury. This game highlights the Islanders' strong special teams play, as they scored twice on the power play against Toronto's normally stingy penalty kill.

The details

Brayden Schenn scored the game's first goal on the power play at 4:15 of the first period. Ritchie then doubled the Islanders' lead at 9:43 of the first, also with the man advantage. The Leafs' power play, which entered the game ranked third in the NHL at 83.5%, was unable to solve the Islanders' 29th-ranked penalty kill. Mathew Barzal recorded three assists for New York, while 18-year-old defenseman Matthew Schaefer moved within one point of becoming the fourth rookie blueliner in Islanders history to reach 50 points in a season.

  • The game was played on Tuesday, March 17, 2026.

The players

Calum Ritchie

A forward for the New York Islanders who scored a goal and an assist in the game.

Brayden Schenn

A forward for the New York Islanders who scored his first goal since being acquired from the St. Louis Blues ahead of the trade deadline.

Emil Heineman

A forward for the New York Islanders who scored a goal in the game.

Ilya Sorokin

The goaltender for the New York Islanders who made 26 saves in the victory.

Mathew Barzal

A forward for the New York Islanders who recorded three assists in the game.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

The takeaway

This game showcased the Islanders' strong special teams play, as they were able to capitalize on the power play against one of the league's top penalty killing units. The victory also highlighted the Islanders' depth, with several different players contributing offensively. Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs' struggles continue in the wake of Auston Matthews' season-ending injury, putting their playoff hopes in jeopardy.