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4 takeaways from Leafs-Golden Knights: A dream start evaporates in late game collapse
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Photo credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Arun Srinivasan
Jan 16, 2026, 06:30 ESTUpdated: Jan 16, 2026, 01:36 EST
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The Entertainment Capital of the World lived up to its billing on Thursday evening. During an emotionally charged game, where Mitch Marner squared off against his former club for the first time, there was plenty of star power and flashing lights, by way of the goal lamp. Although the Toronto Maple Leafs got off to a dream start, it quickly evaporated and a familiar story emerged: the Maple Leafs couldn’t hold a third-period lead, falling 6-5 to the Vegas Golden Knights in overtime.
Jack Eichel scored the overtime winner for the Golden Knights, afforded all the time and space in the world. Mark Stone forced overtime by notching the game-tying goal with seven seconds left remaining in regulation. A team with championship pedigree simply outlasted a talented but erratic Maple Leafs team, with the rest of the league watching.
Morgan Rielly opened the scoring for the Maple Leafs, off a great feed from William Nylander. Nylander then provided the Maple Leafs with a goal of his own, before leaving the contest, after suffering a lower-body injury. Pavel Dorofeyev cut the lead to 2-1, then Auston Matthews registered his 23rd goal of the season for a 3-1 lead entering the first intermission.
Golden Knights forward Keegan Kolesar and Maple Leafs veteran John Tavares traded goals in the second period, and then came the collapse. Dorofeyev scored his second of the contest, before Scott Laughton converted a great pass from Matthew Knies off the rush to restore a 5-3 lead. From Laughton’s goal onwards, the Leafs played far too tentatively and allowed a title contender back into the contest.
Here are four takeaways from the Maple Leafs’ 6-5 loss to the Golden Knights:

Mitch Marner shakes off the boos for two assists

Marner will almost certainly become persona non grata next Friday when he returns to Scotiabank Arena. Against his former team, Marner was expected to have the comfort of his home fans supporting him. Once the puck dropped, Marner wasn’t affected by the outside noise, but he was certainly booed loudly by a large Leafs fan contingent in Vegas.
It really didn’t seem to matter to Marner. Playing centre with Reilly Smith and Pavel Dorofeyev on his wings, Marner was hunting for offence, getting a good shot on goal 38 seconds into the game, upon dangling Brandon Carlo in the offensive zone. The connection between Marner and Dorofeyev was arguably the story of the game. Dorofeyev scored twice and his hat-trick goal was rescinded upon a successful challenge from the Leafs’ video team midway through the third period.
Marner can clearly play centre, and he’s still making clever reads on the power play, one-touching the puck over to Dorofeyev for his second goal of the contest. We’ve seen his all-world passing ability for the better part of a decade. And now that the first contest is over, Marner will have to steady himself for the worst reception any Toronto athlete has received since Vince Carter’s return to the Air Canada Centre in April 2005.

William Nylander aggravates lower-body injury after sensational start

William Nylander is one of the Maple Leafs’ franchise players and burst out of the gate with real intent on Thursday. Nylander set up Morgan Rielly’s opening goal with some stellar work on the half-wall, before delivering a cutting pass to Toronto’s longest-tenured player.
Shortly thereafter, Nylander put the Leafs up 2-0, corralling a pass from Matias Maccelli, before roofing a backhand tuck past Adin Hill. It was Nylander at his best and he was looking like he’d score on every shift. Two shifts later, and Nylander headed to the Leafs’ dressing room, where he was ruled out just before the second period.
It’s unclear at the time of this filing when Nylander sustained his injury but it’s a tough loss for the Maple Leafs to lose their leading scorer, especially when considering he just returned to the lineup on January 10, following a six-game absence. After the game, head coach Craig Berube revealed that Nylander aggravated his previous lower-body injury, and did not provide a timeline for his return. We’ll have to see how Nylander fares, because another multi-game injury certainly dampens the spoils of victory.

Toronto’s best players are responsible for the collapse

This section hurts to write, but it’s true: the Maple Leafs’ best players are responsible for the collapse. Nylander is exempt from this criticism due to his injury, but Auston Matthews, John Tavares and Morgan Rielly were all left scrambling at various points during the late-game breakdown.
Matthews was in excellent form through the first half of the game, skating with explosion. Toronto’s captain registered his 23rd goal of the season with a clever tip in front of the net, for a 3-1 lead. And yet, it was an incomplete performance. Matthews was on the ice for five of the Golden Knights’ six goals, and was nowhere to be found on Jack Eichel’s overtime winner.
Tomas Hertl’s game-tying goal was perhaps more egregious. Tasked with holding onto the narrow lead, the Maple Leafs crowded the net and stood idly by as Eichel, Marner and Mark Stone worked the puck with no resistance. Matthews and Tavares seemed content to watch the puck. And this was certainly a theme for Matthews throughout the night. Stone cut the Leafs’ lead to 5-4 after combining with Ivan Barbashev to jar the puck free from Joseph Woll.
We won’t attribute this to a lack of effort but the optics aren’t great and the spatial sense displayed by Matthews, Tavares and Rielly during the latter half of the game was baffling, especially considering their collective hot starts to the contest.

Nicolas Roy receives welcome reception in return to Vegas

With so much attention being paid to a certain 102-point winger, it was great to see Nicolas Roy receive a warm welcome from the Vegas faithful. Roy helped the Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup in 2023, and joined the Maple Leafs via the Mitch Marner trade last summer.
Roy is beginning to find his footing with the Leafs on a line with Easton Cowan and Nick Robertson, although they were arguably the Leafs’ least impactful group Thursday. And considering Roy finished with an even rating in 14 minutes, we’re not going to belabour the point. It was a well-deserved tribute for Roy, who is certainly well-liked by his teammates and provides the Maple Leafs with a solid third-line centre, capable of greater offensive impact during the second half of the year.

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