Nikishin scores in overtime, Hurricanes down Maple Leafs 4-3
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TORONTO – Alexander Nikishin scored 41 seconds into overtime as the Carolina Hurricanes downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 on Friday.
Eric Robinson, on a penalty shot, K’Andre Miller and Jordan Staal had the other goals for Carolina (44-19-6). Brandon Bussi made 23 saves. Seth Jarvis and Sebastian Aho had two assists apiece.
John Tavares, William Nylander and Dakota Joshua replied for Toronto (29-28-13), which got 32 stops from Joseph Woll. Matias Maccelli added two assists.
Nikishin scored the winner in the extra period when he ripped a shot beyond Woll’s blocker.
The Metropolitan Division-leading Hurricanes entered Friday third in the NHL’s overall standings and first in the Eastern Conference.
The severely underperforming Maple Leafs, meanwhile, sat 26th out of 32 teams, second-last in the East and at the bottom of the Atlantic Division.
TAKEAWAYS
Hurricanes: Aho became the third player to hit at least 70 points in five seasons with the Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers. Ron Francis (11) and Eric Staal (seven) top the list.
Maple Leafs: Auston Matthews underwent surgery on his left MCL in New York on Thursday. Toronto’s captain was injured last week after taking a knee-on-knee hit from Anaheim Ducks defenceman Radko Gudas. The Maple Leafs said the recovery time for Matthews is expected to be 12 weeks.
KEY MOMENT
Robinson scored on a second-period penalty shot after being hooked on a breakaway by Maple Leafs defenceman Troy Stecher. The Carolina winger moved in on Woll as a sleepy Scotiabank Arena came to life, and fired his 12th goal of the campaign past the netminder’s glove.
KEY STAT
Benoit-Olivier Groulx picked up an assist on the opening goal to give him a point in three straight home games since joining Toronto. Five other players in the past 20 years have had a run of at least that length to start their time with the Original Six franchise: Eric Lindros (six games in 2005-06), Mike Van Ryn (five games in 2008-09), Ron Hainsey (four games in 2017-18), Michael Bunting (three games in 2021-22) and Nikita Zaitsev (three games in 2016-17).
UP NEXT
Maple Leafs: Visit the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.
Hurricanes: Visit the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 20, 2026.