Hellebuyck makes 23 saves as Devils blank Maple Leafs 4–0
Timo Meier scored twice in the second period and Nico Hischier reached 500 NHL points as New Jersey won its fifth straight.
What's newMaple Leafs coach Jim Hiller explained why he changed Toronto’s forward lines after the first period.
Connor Hellebuyck recorded his first shutout for New Jersey on Sunday, stopping all 23 Toronto shots in a 4–0 Devils win at Scotiabank Arena. The win was Hellebuyck’s fifth in five starts for the Devils, a first for a New Jersey goalie.
Timo Meier broke the scoreless tie at 8:28 of the second period. After Nico Hischier won an offensive-zone draw, Declan Chisholm found Meier in the slot for a one-timer. The assist gave Hischier his 500th NHL point, a mark reached by only two other Swiss-born players.
Meier made it 2–0 at 12:44 of the second when Jack Hughes’ shot went in off him. Hischier scored on a power-play rebound at 9:49 of the third, and Connor Brown added an empty-net goal with 2:37 left. Hughes and Jesper Bratt each finished with two assists.
Toronto coach Jim Hiller tried several forward combinations around Auston Matthews. Hiller told reporters after the game that he was looking for a spark because the Leafs had struggled to keep the puck in the offensive zone after the first period, Sportsnet reported.
Anthony Stolarz made 25 saves for Toronto. The Maple Leafs are 8–9–2 after losing five of their last six games. New Jersey improved to 13–5–0.
