By The Canadian Press

Domi’s coast-to-coast winner lifts Maple Leafs over Penguins, snapping skid

Dec 23, 2025 | 5:51 PM

TORONTO —
Max Domi scored the winner with 8:25 remaining to snap a 23-game goalless streak and added an assist to end the Toronto Maple Leafs’ three-game slide with a 6-3 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday.

Domi danced around Pittsburgh newcomer Brett Kulak for the deciding goal, a few hours after Toronto general manager Brad Treliving gave head coach Craig Berube a vote of confidence for the second time this season.

William Nylander scored the icebreaker for his first in 11 games, midway through the first period, before 18,979 at Scotiabank Arena. But Bryan Rust drew the Penguins even 44 seconds later, getting behind Nicolas Roy and Chris Tanev for a successful breakaway.

Toronto’s Matias Maccelli scored on a weak shot with 6:26 remaining in the first period. Steven Lorentz stripped Pittsburgh’s Erik Karlsson for a second-period breakaway goal. Rutger McGroarty pulled the visitors to within a goal a few shifts later.

Toronto (16-15-5) fired 31 shots on goal while the Penguins (15-12-9) registered 32, with Joseph Woll picking up his sixth win in 11 starts. Pittsburgh goalie Stuart Skinner has yet to win in three starts, with 12 goals against since being traded by the Edmonton Oilers on Dec. 15.

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Bobby McMann and Nylander scored empty-netters to give Toronto its third win this season against the Penguins.

Treliving also remarked earlier Tuesday he’s not ready to sell off key players for a rebuild.

“I don’t think we’re turning the page right now on the season,’’ Treliving said. “We’re not here waving the white flag.”

Takeaways

Leafs: Tanev (upper-body) returned after a 23-game absence.

Penguins: McGroarty was raised in Lincoln, Nebraska, where his mother, Cindy, grew up. However, his father, Jim, hails from Mississauga, Ont., and played defence for the junior B Streetsville Derbys.

Key moment

Domi’s game-winner was during a four-on-four situation. He last scored on Oct. 28, when he checked in with a two-goal outing.

Key stat

A day after assistant coach Marc Savard was fired for steering the Maple Leafs to the NHL’s worst power-play (12 for 90 with four short-handed goals against), Toronto went 0 for 2 against Pittsburgh. Assistant coach Derek Lalonde has been given the task of fixing the team’s power-play struggles.

Up next

Penguins: Visit the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday.

Leafs: Play host to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 23, 2025.

Tim Wharnsby, The Canadian Press