Hildeby registers first NHL shutout, Maple Leafs blank Lightning 2-0

By Canadian Press on December 8, 2025.

TORONTO — Dennis Hildeby made 29 saves for the first shutout of his NHL career as the Toronto Maple Leafs blanked the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-0 on Monday night.

Morgan Rielly and Auston Matthews, into the empty net, scored for Toronto (14-11-4), which improved to 4-0-1 over its last five games.

Jonas Johansson stopped 22 shots for Tampa Bay (16-11-2). The Lightning have dropped four straight in regulation after winning seven in a row.

Hildeby, who started the season as the Maple Leafs’ No. 4 goaltending option, got another start with both Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll on injured reserve.

The Lightning had centre Brayden Point and winger Nikita Kucherov back in the lineup from injury absences, but were minus No. 1 goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy. Point missed seven games with an undisclosed injury, while Kucherov sat out Saturday’s 2-0 home loss to the New York Islanders.

Tampa Bay has now been shut out in consecutive games for the first time since November 2023.

TAKEAWAYS

Maple Leafs: The NHL’s 30th-ranked power play entering Monday dropped to an ugly 2-for-27 over its last 12 games. Toronto failed to connect on its two man-advantage chances against Tampa Bay.

Lightning: Head coach Jon Cooper said he hopes Vasilevskiy can return to the fold at some point during the team’s four-game road trip, which started Monday at Scotiabank Arena.

KEY MOMENT

Rielly broke a scoreless tie with 3:34 left in the first period off the rush when he slid his fifth goal of the season past Johansson with Tampa Bay winger Jake Guentzel draped all over the Maple Leafs defenceman.

KEY STAT

John Tavares assisted on Rielly’s icebreaker to become the first Toronto player age 35 or older with at least 30 points before their 30th game of a season since Mats Sundin in 2007-08.

UP NEXT

Lightning: Visit the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday.

Maple Leafs: Host the San Jose Sharks on Thursday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 8, 2025.

Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press