Jack Hughes registers hat trick, New Jersey Devils down Toronto Maple Leafs

New Jersey Devils centre Jack Hughes (86) and Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Jake McCabe (22) vie for control of the puck during first period NHL hockey action in Toronto, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

TORONTO — Jack Hughes registered the third hat trick of his NHL career as the New Jersey Devils topped the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2 on Tuesday.

Cody Glass and Brenden Dillon had the other goals for New Jersey (5-1-0), which got 23 saves from Jake Allen. Jesper Bratt added three assists.

John Tavares, with a goal and an assist, and Matias Maccelli replied for Toronto (3-3-1). Anthony Stolarz stopped 30 shots. William Nylander had two assists.

Stolarz ripped his teammates following Saturday’s 4-3 overtime home loss to the Seattle Kraken on a night where Toronto did a poor job defending its crease, didn’t do enough at the other end, and suffered a crucial breakdown on the extra-time winner.

The Leafs led 1-0 after Tuesday’s first period before giving up three goals in a span of three minutes 27 seconds early in the second.

Maccelli got one back for Toronto — his first in blue and white — to make it 3-2, but Hughes restored his team’s two-goal lead before the intermission before adding an empty-netter late in the third.

TAKEAWAYS

Leafs: Shutdown defenceman Chris Tanev suffered an upper-body injury on a second-period penalty kill when he collided with New Jersey centre Dawson Mercer in front.

Devils: Head coach Sheldon Keefe made his second trip back to Scotiabank with New Jersey. Keefe went 212-97-40 with Toronto from 2019 through 2024, but won just a solitary post-season series in six tries. The Leafs went 3-0-0 against the Devils last season.

KEY MOMENT

Toronto challenged New Jersey’s first goal for goaltender interference only to see the call on the ice stand. The Devils went on the power play with the ensuing delay-of-game penalty, and Glass made it 2-1 moments after Tanev skated off to the locker room.

KEY STAT

Leafs captain Auston Matthews entered with 21 goals in 21 career games against the Devils, his highest percentage against any team.

UP NEXT

Devils: Host the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday.

Leafs: Visit the Buffalo Sabres on Friday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2025.

Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press