By The Canadian Press

Golden Knights top Maple Leafs in Mitch Marner’s emotional Toronto return

Jan 23, 2026 | 9:02 AM

TORONTO — Mark Stone had two goals and an assist as the Vegas Golden Knights topped the Maple Leafs 6-3 in Mitch Marner’s emotional return to Toronto on Friday night.

Jack Eichel Pavel Dorofeyev, Braeden Bowman and Keegan Kolesar had the other goals for Vegas (25-13-12). Adin Hill made 18 saves while Ivan Barbashev added three assists.

Marner, who played nine seasons with the Maple Leafs before his long march out the door ended with a new address in Sin City last summer, was booed every time he touched the puck by the crowd at Scotiabank Arena.

John Tavares, Scott Laughton and Bobby McMann replied for Toronto (24-18-9). Anthony Stolarz stopped 25 shots in his return from injury. Matthew Knies had two assists.

Playing in the second of a back-to-back, Vegas won for the first time in three contests following a seven-game winning streak, including a 6-5 overtime victory over the Maple Leafs last week.

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Toronto, meanwhile, has dropped three in a row and five of six (1-3-2) after an 8-0-2 stretch.

TAKEAWAYS

Maple Leafs: Stolarz played for the first time since suffering an upper-body injury Nov. 11. Veteran defencemen Oliver Ekman-Larsson suited up following an early departure from Wednesday’s 2-1 overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings with a lower-body injury.

Golden Knights: Rasmus Andersson made his debut for the club after the blueliner was acquired from the Calgary Flames in a trade Sunday.

KEY MOMENT

Bowman scored his seventh goal of the season at 5:16 of the second period to extend the visitors’ lead to 4-1 after Toronto failed to clear the puck in front of Stolarz.

KEY STAT

Marner ranks among the top-10 on the Maple Leafs’ all-time list for assists (fourth; 520), points (sixth; 741), power-play assists (fourth; 178), power-play points (fifth; 228), short-handed goals (tied for ninth; 10) and short-handed points (tied for 10th; 18).

UP NEXT

Maple Leafs: Host the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday.

Golden Knights: Visit the Ottawa Senators on Sunday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 23, 2026.

Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press