Stecher scores late, Leafs down Rangers 5-4

TORONTO – Troy Stecher scored with 26.3 seconds left in regulation as the Toronto Maple Leafs topped the New York Rangers 5-4 in a back-and-forth affair for their third straight victory Thursday.

Brandon Duhaime, with a goal and two assists, Teddy Blueger, Kirill Marchenko and Easton Cowan provided the rest of the offence for Toronto (6-4-2).

Sergei Bobrovsky made 21 saves. Zack MacEwen added two assists. Blueger also had an assist for a two-point night.

Mika Zibanejad, with a goal and an assist, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Tye Kartye and Alexis Lafrenière replied for New York (7-4-1), which got 31 stops from Dylan Garand. Adam Fox chipped in four assists.

Stecher’s winner came on a delayed penalty after he took a pass from Morgan Rielly and ripped a shot upstairs.

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After the teams traded goals inside the game’s first six minutes, Blueger put Toronto ahead with his first for the club at 10:01 on a shot that just dribbled over the line. New York evened things 2-2 at 2:37 of the second when Bjorkstrand beat Bobrovsky from in tight.

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The visitors nudged in front at 6:30 when Kartye tipped home a point shot, but Duhaime buried his own rebound 90 seconds later — also his first goal in blue and white — to get Toronto level again.

Marchenko gave the home side the lead with 50 seconds left in the period on a power play, but Lafrenière knotted the score again at 14:25 of the third.

Bobrovsky tied Rangers legend Henrik Lundqvist for the most wins by a non-North American goaltender with 459. The pair now share sixth on the all-time list.

TAKEAWAYS

Maple Leafs: Shutdown defenceman Jake McCabe suited up after taking a high stick to his left eye in Tuesday’s 6-2 road victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Rangers: Zibanejad’s next power-play goal will tie him with Daniel Sedin for second all-time among Swedish players at 138. Mats Sundin leads his countrymen with 160 career goals on the man advantage.

KEY MOMENT

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Stecher’s winner came after Nick Paul was tripped in the offensive zone for a delayed penalty.

KEY STAT

Maple Leafs captain and star centre Auston Matthews sits two points shy of 800 for his career. The 29-year-old, who played his 701st regular-season game Thursday, is poised to become the third-fastest American to reach the mark behind Brett Hull (624 games) and Pat LaFontaine (664 games).

COMING UP

Maple Leafs: Visit the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday.

Rangers: Visit the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2026.