Key Takeaways
- Connor Hellebuyck made 23 saves for his first shutout as a New Jersey Devil, beating Toronto 4–0 at Scotiabank Arena on Sunday.
- Timo Meier scored twice in the second period to end a nine-game goal drought, and Nico Hischier recorded his 500th career point before adding a power-play goal.
- New Jersey has won five straight; Toronto has lost three straight and five of its last six, all at the start of a six-game homestand.
The Goalie Toronto Used to Fear in a Jets Jersey Is Back — This Time in Red
Connor Hellebuyck's first visit to Toronto as a New Jersey Devil felt painfully familiar to Maple Leafs fans. The same goalie who used to frustrate them in Winnipeg was at it again, only wearing different colours. Hellebuyck stopped all 23 shots for his first shutout since the October 23 trade from Winnipeg. At 5-0-0, he also became the first goaltender in Devils history to win each of his first five games with the club.
New Jersey's offence needed just one second-period burst to take control. Timo Meier, goalless in nine games, scored at 8:28 off a set faceoff play — a goal that also gave Nico Hischier his 500th career point. Hischier became the third Swiss-born player to reach the milestone, after Roman Josi and Kevin Fiala. Meier added a second at 12:44, tipping in a Jack Hughes shot. Later, Hischier scored a power-play goal in the third, while former Leaf Connor Brown put the finishing touch on the night with an empty-net goal.
Two Teams, Opposite Directions
The Devils (13-5-0) have won five straight and nine of their last ten. Even more impressive, they did it on the second night of a back-to-back after arriving in Toronto around 3 a.m. The Leafs (8-9-2), meanwhile, have lost three straight and five of six. Their struggles are eating into a six-game homestand that was supposed to be an opportunity to bank points. Anthony Stolarz made 25 saves in the loss.
Next comes a reunion with an edge: Hellebuyck and the Devils travel to Winnipeg on Tuesday to face the team that traded him three weeks ago.
The Twikup Take
Toronto didn't just run into a hot goalie. It ran into a familiar nightmare wearing new colours — and the homestand clock keeps ticking.
The Leafs have three home games left to turn this around before a bad week becomes the story of their season.
Image: Connor Hellebuyck during a game against the Seattle Kraken in 2024 by Jenn G, CC BY-SA 2.0. Photo shows Hellebuyck in his Winnipeg Jets uniform, before his October 2026 trade to New Jersey.