Kapanen scores 20th in 3-1 win, Canadiens hand Maple Leafs eighth straight loss

Montreal Canadiens' Oliver Kapanen (91) scores on Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll (60) during first period NHL hockey action in Montreal on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi

MONTREAL — Oliver Kapanen scored his 20th of the season as the Montreal Canadiens held on for a 3-1 win and handed the Toronto Maple Leafs their eighth consecutive loss on Tuesday night.

Phillip Danault also scored, while Jake Evans added an empty-net goal for Montreal (35-18-10). Jakub Dobes made 17 saves.

William Nylander replied for struggling Toronto (27-27-11), which is on track to miss the playoffs after nine consecutive trips to the post-season.

Joseph Woll stopped 30 shots in a solid outing.

The Maple Leafs entered the night 11 points outside the playoffs and 13 behind the Canadiens, who held the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Kapanen opened the scoring 4:46 into the first period, finishing a slick passing play with Ivan Demidov and Alex Newhook with a deke from the goal line. Demidov held off two Maple Leafs in the corner before sending the puck to Newhook, who fed Kapanen down low.

Danault then capitalized on a fortuitous bounce to put the Canadiens up 2-0 at 14:41 as Kaiden Guhle’s dump-in ricocheted off the glass and rolled in front of the Maple Leafs’ net, gifting the veteran centre his fifth of the season.

Nylander buried his 22nd from a give-and-go with Easton Cowan, putting Toronto on the board at 14:33 in the second after Dobes’ flurry of saves kept it a two-goal game with the Leafs pressing.

Takeaways

Canadiens: Besides two shifts on the power play, Cole Caufield sat at the end of the Canadiens’ bench from late in the second period through the end of the game. Montreal’s leading goal scorer appeared to be in some discomfort, with trainers occasionally checking in, though it was unclear when he was injured.

Maple Leafs: The Canadiens dominated play early, toying with the Leafs in the offensive zone to lead the game 2-0 — and the shot count 15-8 — after 20 minutes. Toronto pushed back in the second period with Nylander cutting into the lead after Montreal missed several opportunities to pile on, but Montreal hung on in the third.

Key moment

Late in the first period, veteran Canadiens winger Brendan Gallagher, after he interfered with Cowan, fought Leafs defenceman Jake McCabe as the building erupted.

Key stat

Toronto captain Auston Matthews — a former 69-goal scorer — extended his goalless streak to 12 games.

Up next

Maple Leafs: Host the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday.

Canadiens: Visit the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 10, 2026.

Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press