In a standout performance, Dennis Hildeby secured his first NHL career shutout with 29 saves, leading the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 2-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on a thrilling Monday night.
Morgan Rielly and Auston Matthews contributed goals for Toronto (14-11-4), sealing their impressive 4-0-1 record over the past five games.
Despite a strong effort from Jonas Johansson, who made 22 saves for Tampa Bay (16-11-2), the Lightning suffered their fourth consecutive regulation loss following a seven-game winning streak.
Hildeby’s stellar performance was a surprise considering he began the season as the Maple Leafs’ fourth goaltending choice, stepping up in the absence of Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll due to injuries.
While Tampa Bay welcomed back Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov from injury, the absence of top goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy was felt. The Lightning, who had Point return after a seven-game absence and Kucherov back from missing Saturday’s game, are facing challenges.
The Tampa Bay team finds itself in unfamiliar territory, enduring back-to-back shutouts for the first time since November 2023.