Devils Lose 4-0 to Maple Leafs, Struggles in Scoring Persist

The New Jersey Devils were defeated 4-0 by the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night in Toronto. Unable to get on the board, this is the fourth time this season they've been kept from scoring.

The Maple Leafs found the net in every period. Bobby McMann scored a power-play goal in the first. Nicolas Roy contributed a second-period goal, while Calle Jarnkrok’s third-period score bounced in off Jonas Siegenthaler. Matthew Knies capped it with a goal on an empty net.

Jacob Markstrom was strong, saving 26 of 29 shots for New Jersey but lacked offensive support. "It's very frustrating, we're not scoring goals," said captain Nico Hischier to NHL.com. "If you're not scoring, you cannot win hockey games, and it's probably too much in our head right now."

Coach Sheldon Keefe stressed the importance of players finishing their chances. "We've got to keep the group positive...[but] guys have also got to work harder, work smarter," said Keefe to NHL.com.

In the third period, Hischier clashed with Knies, both receiving fighting penalties. "He's asking me to go, and I don’t really want to back down," Hischier explained. The altercation, however, failed to ignite New Jersey as Toronto scored shortly after off of Siegenthaler.

This game started a back-to-back series for New Jersey, with a matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets coming next. Despite a late effort in the third, New Jersey's attempts fell short.

While on a penalty kill, a failed clearance set up McMann’s goal, with Nick Robertson keeping the puck at the blue line. Jersey managed to kill one of three penalties and went 0-for-3 on power plays.

During the second period, a glove mishap with Joseph Woll's stick paused play but didn’t affect Brett Pesce's involvement. As Toronto scored their second goal after a penalty ended, New Jersey's problems grew.

Several notable Leafs players, including Auston Matthews and William Nylander, were absent, but this didn’t stop Toronto. Against the Leafs, New Jersey holds a regular-season record of 54-75-20-9 and is looking for improvement.

Overall, the Devils have a better playoff series record. However, Tuesday’s game saw the Leafs grabbing their first regular-season win against New Jersey in the 2025-26 season after an earlier defeat.

The Devils have a 3-5-2 record in their last 10 games against Toronto, facing difficulties during away games at the Leafs’ home.