3 takeaways: Knights show fight but suffer 1st shutout of season

Games between the Golden Knights and Toronto Maple Leafs usually combine for 11 goals, not 11 penalties.

The games don’t normally call for physicality and huge hits, nor is that a style of game the Knights have found themselves in lately.

But they were on the wrong side of one Wednesday, with the Knights getting shut out for the first time this season, 3-0 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.

Toronto goaltender Joseph Woll made 31 saves for his second career shutout, and right wing William Nylander had a goal and an assist. The Maple Leafs (12-6-2) were without five key players, notably captain Auston Matthews (upper body).

The Maple Leafs improved to 6-1-0 this season without last season’s Rocket Richard Trophy winner.

“We definitely had some looks,” defenseman Noah Hanifin said. “Their goalie just made some good saves.”

Meanwhile, the Knights (11-6-2) dropped to 2-3-1 without the services of captain Mark Stone. He missed his sixth straight game and remains day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

If there was a night for the Knights to have their captain and second-leading scorer, this would’ve been it.

But not for the emotional aspect. Stone’s teammates had that covered.

Defenseman Shea Theodore was cut open after a hit from Toronto right wing Nikita Grebenkin in the first period. While the forward wasn’t assessed a penalty, it was a hit the Knights remembered.

Defenseman Zach Whitecloud responded with a huge neutral-zone hit on Toronto left wing Matthew Knies with 12:05 left in the second period. Maple Leafs defenseman Simon Benoit retaliated at Whitecloud and was given a four-minute roughing penalty, while Whitecloud was assessed a minor penalty.

That kick-started 16 combined penalty minutes and an ample number of scrums after each whistle.

More notably, the Knights got two power-play chances out of it and couldn’t score. The league’s third-best power play finished 0-for-3.

“I thought we got outworked,” coach Bruce Cassidy said.

The Knights stayed in it thanks to goaltender Adin Hill. Though with just 23 saves, Hill made key stops in the second period to preserve the one-goal deficit.

That flipped 3:01 into the third period when Nylander — on Toronto’s first power play of the game — finished a two-on-one to give the Leafs a 2-0 lead.

Hill made a save on Nylander seconds prior that sprung an odd-man rush with left wing Brett Howden and right wing Keegan Kolesar short-handed, but Kolesar’s attempt went wide.

The Knights were aggressive on the counter with Nylander and right wing Mitch Marner on the man advantage before Nylander hit the far corner.

“The game changed on the penalty kill,” Cassidy said. “We don’t make a play, but we get caught up ice and give their best players, basically, a practice two-on-one.”

The Knights’ offense has run dry the past two games. They put up 25 shots in the third period without getting one by goaltender Logan Thompson in a 5-2 loss to Washington on Monday.

The Knights don’t have much time to dwell on it. They play the second leg of a back-to-back against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday.

“It’s frustrating. We need to find ways to score goals,” center Jack Eichel said.

Here are three takeaways from the loss:

1. Punched in the mouth

This might have been a game the Knights needed.

There haven’t been many instances when they had to flex their muscles. It wasn’t just that they had the 29-27 edge in hits. It was how they responded after the hit on Theodore.

Whitecloud’s check woke both teams up, but the Knights got to their game — especially in the offensive zone. They outshot Toronto 16-6 in the second period, but just couldn’t solve Woll.

That kind of physicality can translate. The Knights don’t want to get suckered into a track meet if they’re the more physical team, but they showed fight in a close game. It almost paid off.

2. Burke’s debut

Undrafted forward Cal Burke was called up from the Silver Knights on Tuesday and played 9:39 in his Knights debut.

Burke, who played at Notre Dame, was a preseason standout with offensive upside and puck possession skills.

His best play came when Cassidy shook up the lines in the second period, putting him with center William Karlsson and left wing Ivan Barbashev.

Burke, 27, had two shots in his fourth NHL game.

3. Quick turnaround

Thursday’s matchup against Ottawa will be part of a three-game, four-day Canadian trip that concludes in Montreal on Saturday.

They’ll return to the U.S. on Monday in Philadelphia, then wrap up the trip at Colorado on Wednesday.

The Knights could have Stone back against the Senators. He’s skated on his own in a noncontact role this week, but it’s unclear if he’ll be available against his former team.

Ilya Samsonov is expected to start in net for the Knights.

Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.