Stecher scores in final minute, Maple Leafs edge Rangers for third win in row
Duhaime has three points for Toronto; Fox gets four assists for New York
By Dave McCarthy
NHL.com Independent Correspondent
TORONTO -- Troy Stecher broke a tie with 28 seconds left in the third period to give the Toronto Maple Leafs a 5-4 win against the New York Rangers at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday.
On a delayed penalty, Stecher took a pass from Morgan Rielly and shot over Dylan Garand’s glove from the top of the right face-off circle to put the Maple Leafs up 5-4.
It was the defenseman’s first goal of the season in his 12th game.
“Dating back to last year, I’ve really embraced being a Maple Leaf,” said Stecher, who was claimed off waivers by Toronto from the Edmonton Oilers on Nov. 15, 2025. “There’s so much passion around the city and so much love for the Leafs. As a player, it’s really hard not to feel. It’s pretty easy to feel special and be a part of this group. It’s more than just us 20 in here, it’s a big-time fanbase and I feel fortunate to be a part of this.
“Just a complete group effort tonight. Felt like everybody contributed tonight. … It wasn’t pretty the whole way through but we stuck with it and that’s what we are going to take. When we play as a collective group, we can find ways to win games when we are not at our best.”
Brandon Duhaime had a goal and two assists, and Teddy Blueger had a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs (6-4-2), who have won three in a row. Sergei Bobrovsky made 21 saves for his 459th NHL win to tie Henrik Lundqvist for sixth all-time.
“That’s incredible,” Duhaime said of Bobrovsky. “That’s insane especially for a goalie to put up numbers like that, it’s special. Just a Hall of Fame career from ‘Bob,’ it’s pretty special to see firsthand.”
Adam Fox had four assists, and Mika Zibanejad had a goal and an assist for the Rangers (7-4-1), who are 1-2-1 in their past four. Garand made 30 saves.
“I thought it was a loose game, high event. Not the kind of game we want to play,” New York coach Mike Sullivan said. “I just didn’t like our overall game. We weren’t stiff enough, we didn’t play with the structure we need to play with. The types of chances we gave up were high. We got some chances at the other end, but it was a loose game, not a game conducive to winning.”
Alexis Lafreniere tied it 4-4 at 14:25 of the third period when he shot past Bobrovsky’s blocker through traffic from the blue line.
“It was a little sloppy execution and not getting at least a point, letting one up late definitely hurts,” Fox said. “We were definitely giving them a lot of chances and grade-A’s too. Garand had to make some big saves and they’ve got a lot of firepower so you’re giving guys dangerous chances. I don’t know if that’s the recipe for us to win games. Can we? Yeah, but it felt like we played in to how they wanted to play tonight.”
The Maple Leafs went up 1-0 at 1:36 of the first period when Easton Cowan took a lead pass from Jake McCabe at the offensive blue line, springing him on a breakaway where he shot over Garand’s glove from the left hashmarks.
Zibanejad tied it 1-1 at 5:39 when he deflected a point shot just below the left hashmarks from Vladislav Gavrikov.
Blueger put the Maple Leafs up 2-1 at 10:01 when he redirected a pass at the top of the goal crease from Duhaime between Garand’s pads. The goal was his first point of the season in his 12th game.
Toronto’s fourth line of Duhaime, Blueger and Zack MacEwen (two assists) combined for seven points (two goals, five assists).
“Everybody always loves it when those guys get rewarded with goals and points because they do the dirty work, blocking shots, getting forechecks going,” Toronto coach Jim Hiller said. “I think that’s what makes the night extra special. And then a guy like Stecher who quietly gives you everything he can and then scores a big goal in a moment like that.”
The Rangers tied it 2-2 at 2:37 of the second period. After Justin Dowling drove to the net producing a rebound off Bobrovsky’s right pad kick save, Oliver Bjorkstrand, who scored twice on Monday in a 5-2 win against the Anaheim Ducks, got to the loose puck and shot blocker side from the slot.
Tye Kartye put the Rangers up 3-2 at 6:30 when he deflected Fox’s shot from above the right circle while battling with Kirill Marchenko in the slot.
Duhaime tied it 3-3 at 8:00 when he got to his own rebound in the slot and shot over Garand’s blocker.
Marchenko put Toronto up 4-3 at 19:09 on the power play when he skated down the slot and jammed his own rebound between Garand’s pads.
“I really liked our game,” Hiller said. “That was probably our best game of the year through 60 minutes for me. The Rangers played good, pushed us hard but we didn’t have those lulls and dips, in fact I thought we ended up pushing and got momentum back.”
NOTES: Stecher's goal was Toronto's latest go-ahead goal since Nov. 13, 2021 (Rielly at 59:48). ... Maple Leafs defenseman Marshall Rifai was placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury sustained in a 6-2 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday. Hiller said he is week to week. … The Rangers signed forward Luke Glendening to a one-year, $850,000 contract. … Fox had his third career four-assist game. Only two Rangers defensemen have as many: Brian Leetch (six) and Brad Park (five).
