Canadiens 3, Maple Leafs 2: Montreal spoils opening night in Toronto
William Nylander scored twice, but three unanswered Montreal goals decided a season opener that doubled as the first NHL game of No. 1 pick Gavin McKenna's career.
Opening night in Toronto carried more than the usual weight — a revamped Maple Leafs roster, a new era built around the top pick in the 2026 draft — and it was Montreal that walked out with the win, taking the season opener 3-2 at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday.
How it happened
Toronto could hardly have started better: William Nylander scored just 48 seconds in. But NHL.com's recap describes a game that tilted from there, with Toronto's turnovers in its own zone feeding three unanswered Canadiens goals — Josh Anderson at 10:53 of the first, Zachary Bolduc at 4:52 of the second, and defenseman Alexandre Carrier at 13:12 of the third. Nylander's second of the night, with 4:14 left, made it close; Montreal held on.
In goal, Jakub Dobes stopped 26 of 28 for Montreal, while Toronto's netminder, listed by both NHL.com and CBS Sports as Sergei Bobrovsky, made 21 saves.
The McKenna debut
The night's headline attraction was Gavin McKenna, the No. 1 overall pick, making his Toronto debut. Per NHL.com, he logged 15:19 of ice time with one shot and finished minus-2 — an honest beginning rather than a storybook one. "I had a couple turnovers. I'm glad we are playing again," McKenna said afterward.
What it means
For Montreal, which reached the Eastern Conference Final last spring according to CBS Sports, it is exactly the start a confident group wanted — imperfect, but a road win over the rival the Canadiens will be measured against all year. For Toronto, which retooled heavily after missing the playoffs, the loss is a reminder that new rosters need time to cohere. One October night settles nothing, but it sets the tone for a rivalry both teams expect to matter in April.