Nylander's Three-Point Performance Leads Maple Leafs to 5-0 Victory over Canucks
In a dominant display, William Nylander returned from a six-game absence due to injury, scoring a goal and assisting on two others, as the Toronto Maple Leafs cruised past the Vancouver Canucks 5-0 on Saturday night. The Maple Leafs extended their winning streak to three games and seven straight at home. Matias Maccelli, Max Domi, John Tavares, and Nick Robertson also found the back of the net.
Joseph Woll, the Maple Leafs' goaltender, made 29 saves, securing his second shutout of the season. Conversely, Thatcher Demko, the Canucks' goalie, was pulled after giving up three goals in the first period on just six shots. Kevin Lankinen replaced him and made 16 saves.
Maccelli opened the scoring 8:03 into the first period, capitalizing on a power play. Nylander and Auston Matthews executed a give-and-go, with Nylander sending a precise pass for Maccelli to tip in.
Max Domi scored with 3:29 left in the first period, thanks to a partial breakaway set up by Troy Stecher. Nylander's momentum continued as he skated around Marcus Pettersson, assisted by Steven Lorentz, and tucked in a backhand goal just before the period ended.
In the second period, Nylander found Tavares alone behind the Canucks' defense, and Tavares roofed the puck past Lankinen at 13:07. Nick Robertson scored with 13.4 seconds left on the power play.
Despite the shot count (29-24), the Canucks struggled to break through the Maple Leafs' defense. The Canucks were also outperformed in faceoffs, winning only 30.4% compared to the Maple Leafs' 69.6%.
Nylander's goal seemed to seal the game early for the Canucks. Max Domi's goal was his 100th point (22 goals, 78 assists) with the Maple Leafs.
Looking ahead, the Canucks will play the fourth of their six-game road trip against the Montreal Canadiens on Monday. The Maple Leafs, meanwhile, will start a four-game road trip against the NHL-best Colorado Avalanche on the same day.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on January 10, 2026, by Abdulhamid Ibrahim.
