Penguins blow lead in stunning 4-3 loss to Maple Leafs

Matt Vensel, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Nov 3, 2025

Published in Hockey

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TORONTO — The Pittsburgh Penguins dominated the Toronto Maple Leafs for two periods on Monday. But the Leafs scored four unanswered goals in the third to rally back from three goals down and hand a stunning 4-3 loss to the Penguins at Scotiabank Arena.

Bobby McCann scored a rebound goal with 6:17 left to go to put the Leafs in front.

The Penguins built a 3-0 lead through two periods. Rookie center Ben Kindel scored two of the goals. His first multi-goal game put him in select company in team history.

But the Leafs woke up in the third period and erased that sizable deficit with three goals on Tristan Jarry in a span of three minutes and 24 seconds. Auston Matthews buried the first one on a breakaway. William Nylander got the next two for Toronto.

The Penguins had opportunities to retake the lead, including a good look for Kindel. They could not. Then they watched as McMann won it for the Leafs. It was the second straight loss for the Penguins, who went 1-2-1 on their four-game road trip.

The Penguins were the better team in a back-and-forth first period and took a 2-0 lead in the second half of the period. Erik Karlsson and Kindel tallied their two goals.

Kindel scored his first of the evening during a goalmouth scrum after the initial shot hit the glove of Anthony Stolarz and popped up into the air behind the Leafs goalie.

The 18-year-old got his second goal on the power play midway through the second period. He snapped his stick then skated to the bench to get a new one. A moment later, Kindel whipped a shot from the left circle off the post and in behind Stolarz.

The Penguins allowed only eight shots on goal in the first two periods then fell apart in the third. Monday was the third time that Pittsburgh has blown a multi-goal lead.

It was over when ...

Stolarz and the Leafs survived a barrage of shots from the Penguins in the final two minutes, including a few close calls after they pulled Jarry for an extra attacker.

Stat of the game

5 — players in Penguins history to record a multi-goal game at age 18. Kindel is one. The other four were Sidney Crosby, Jaromir Jagr, Craig Simpson and Jordan Staal.

Around the boards

— Harrison Brunicke skated in his ninth career game here Monday. One more game for the rookie defenseman and the first year of his entry-level contract will kick in. Brunicke and partner Owen Pickering were on the ice for two of the Leafs’ goals, including the winner, which came after Brunicke lost a battle with McMann in front.

— Justin Brazeau missed his second game in a row due to the upper-body injury that he suffered in Minnesota. Philip Tomasino was again in his spot on the second line.

— Noel Acciari suffered an upper-body injury on his second shift and did not return to the game. That forced coach Dan Muse to shuffle his lines the rest of the night.

— Twice, Bryan Rust limped to the bench and was spotted in some pain. He toughed it out to finish the game. In the first period, the top-line winger collided with Crosby. During the second, Rust was drilled by friendly fire as he crashed the Toronto net.

— Monday marked Jarry’s 300th game with the Penguins. Only Marc-Andre Fleury and Tom Barrasso played in more. The loss snapped his winning streak at four.

— Kevin Hayes mixed in during line rushes at the morning skate Monday. Muse said his status has not changed, but it appears the veteran forward is nearing his return.

Coming up next

The Penguins have a scheduled day off on Tuesday. They will practice Wednesday in Cranberry, Pa., ahead of Thursday’s home game against the rival Washington Capitals.

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