Montreal Canadiens win both preseason games against Toronto Maple Leafs

The Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs opened their NHL preseason with a pair of split-squad games. In the matchup held at the Bell Centre, Montreal’s Group A secured a 4-3 overtime victory, highlighted by a game-winning goal from Cole Caufield and an early score by Juraj Slafkovský. Slafkovský also showcased a new line combination alongside Ivan Demidov and Oliver Kapanen, which players noted showed good chemistry.

In the second game held at Scotiabank Arena, Montreal’s Group B defeated Toronto 4-1. Maksymilian Szuber scored the winning goal in the third period, while Phillip Danault contributed two goals. The game also marked the professional debut of Toronto’s first overall pick, Gavin McKenna, who recorded three shots on goal.

The preseason schedule follows new NHL regulations, including a condensed timeline and limits on games played by veterans with over 100 career appearances.