Maple Leafs’ Matthews drives 5–4 comeback as McKenna nets first NHL goal

The Toronto Maple Leafs turned a disastrous start into an early-season statement on Tuesday, storming back from a three-goal hole to defeat the Nashville Predators 5–4 in overtime. Auston Matthews paced the comeback with a four-point performance, while 2026 first-overall pick Gavin McKenna finally broke through with his first NHL goal and assist.

McKenna finally breaks through under early scrutiny

McKenna arrived in Toronto carrying the expectations that follow a top pick, but he opened his rookie campaign with three straight games without a point. Ahead of the matchup with Nashville, he acknowledged that starting his career scoreless through three outings was his personal "welcome to the NHL" moment and that the media attention was weighing on him.

Against the Predators, the rookie answered. He picked up his first NHL point by assisting on a John Tavares goal that helped ignite the Leafs’ pushback. Later in the game, McKenna found the back of the net himself, giving him two points through four games. It is a modest total, but recording both a first goal and a first assist in one night should ease some of the outside noise around his start.

Matthews takes over as Leafs dominate the dot

Matthews drove Toronto’s offence from start to finish. The franchise centre capped the rally by scoring the overtime winner and finished with one goal and three assists, pushing his production above a point-per-game pace through the club’s first four contests. Under new head coach Jim Hiller, he appears more assertive with the puck, quieting, at least for now, concerns from some fans about a potential long-term decline in his scoring.

The Leafs also owned the faceoff circle, winning 34 of 53 draws for a 64.2 percent success rate. In a game where they trailed for long stretches, consistently starting with possession was a major factor in tilting momentum back in their favour, especially in the latter half of regulation and into overtime.

Depth contributions, physical edge and a key response

After falling behind 3–0 early in the second period, Toronto began to chip away. Tavares and William Nylander cut the deficit to one before Steven Stamkos restored Nashville’s two-goal cushion. McKenna pulled the Leafs back within one before the intermission, and newcomer Jack Roslovic later tied the game with his first goal in a Toronto sweater, setting the stage for Matthews’ extra-time winner.

Beyond the scoresheet, the Leafs’ added physical dimension was evident. Colton Sissons and Jake McCabe each delivered a string of hits, and Nick Paul also made his presence felt with his body work. Those contributions fit the off-season emphasis on adding more edge throughout the lineup and helped Toronto wrest control of a matchup that was threatening to become one-sided.

The Maple Leafs are back on the ice Thursday when they host the Vegas Golden Knights. Coming off a dramatic comeback against Nashville, they will look to build on a performance that showcased both their offensive firepower and a more resilient, hard-edged identity.