Game Preview: Toronto Maple Leafs @ Pittsburgh Penguins 11/29/25

Who: Toronto Maple Leafs (10-11-3, 23 points, 7th place Atlantic Division) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (12-6-5, 29 points, 4th place Metropolitan Division)

When: 7:00 p.m. ET

How to Watch: Broadcast locally Sportsnet Pittsburgh and TVAS, nationally on NHL Network

Pens’ Path Ahead: This busy stretch for the Pens continues with a three-game road trip next week, starting Monday in Philadelphia and continuing Thursday in Tampa Bay and next Sunday in Dallas.

Opponent Track: The Maple Leafs, like the Pens, are also heading into this game on the wrong end of a back-to-back. Last night the Leafs suffered a 4-2 loss after blowing a two-goal lead over the Washington Capitals.

Season Series: The Pens conceded a 4-3 regulation loss back on Nov. 3 after giving up four unanswered goals in one of the team’s worst third periods of the season in Toronto. These two clubs meet for a final time this season on Nov. 23 in Toronto.

Hidden Stat: The Pens have yet to win in the second half of a back-to-back this season, currently claiming a 0-1-2 record in games with no days rest. The Leafs are 2-2-0 in the same situation.

Hidden Stat II: The Leafs haven’t won in regulation since Nov. 5. They’re 2-6-2, with two overtime wins, in their last ten games.

Getting to know the Maple Leafs

Projected lines (from Friday’s game)

FORWARDS

Matthew Knies – Auston Matthews – Nicholas Robertson

Easton Cowan – John Tavares – Bobby McMann

Matias Macelli – Nicolas Roy – Dakota Joshua

Steven Lorentz – Scott Laughton – Calle Jarnkrok

DEFENSEMEN

Morgan Rielly – Oliver Ekman-Larsson

Simon Benoit – Jake McCabe

Dakota Mermis – Troy Stecher

Goalies: Joseph Woll, Dennis Hildeby

Potential scratches: William Nylander (illness), Max Domi (more on that below)

Injured Reserve: Anthony Stolarz, Chris Tanev, Brandon Carlo

Matias Macelli and Dakota Joshua are among the Leafs starters who have been benched recently. Add to that list Max Domi, who was held out of Friday’s matchup with the Washington Capitals in the first healthy scratch of his Leafs career.

Head coach Craig Berube said Thursday that Domi needs to “get engaged more in the game,” per The Athletic’s Joshua Kloke.

“He’s got to get dirty down low in the offensive zone, win battles and get more engaged that way and get to the inside of the ice more,” Berube said, per Kloke. “That’s what I see. And when he’s skating and moving, he’s an effective player. But it’s too inconsistent.”

That’s been a problem for the Leafs as a whole so far this season. It was visible again during the team’s 4-2 loss to the Caps on Friday night, when Matthew Knies scored twice to give his team an early lead before Toronto allowed four unanswered goals.

• William Nylander missed Friday’s matchup with the Capitals due to illness. Berube said he would “hopefully” be available to play against the Penguins. The Leafs have been trying out a five-forward power play, but if Nylander remains sidelined the Pens are likely to face a more typical unit quarterbacked by Morgan Reilly tonight.

• The Leafs at least have Auston Matthews, Knies and Nicholas Roy, all of whom have recently missed time due to various injuries, back in the lineup. Most important among those returnees is Matthews, although the three-time Rocket Richard winner is well behind his usual scoring pace with nine goals in his first 19 games.

Season statsvia hockeydb (excludes Friday’s game)

• Woll made 30 saves on 33 shots from the Caps on Friday night. Should Hildeby get the nod, he’d be looking for his first win of the season. The team has so far gone 0-4-1 with their backup in net.

• Macelli, one of the players Berube has been scratching this season, visibly struggled with turnovers Friday night and could be a candidate for another scratch should the Leafs coach shake up his lineup again in Pittsburgh.

And now for the Pens

Projected lines 

FORWARDS

Kevin Hayes – Sidney Crosby – Bryan Rust

Tommy Novak – Evgeni Malkin – Anthony Mantha

Danton Heinen – Ben Kindel – Ville Koivunen

Joona Koppanen – Blake Lizotte – Connor Dewar

DEFENSEMEN

Parker Wotherspoon / Erik Karlsson

Ryan Shea / Kris Letang

Ryan Graves / Connor Clifton

Goalies: Arturs Silovs and Tristan Jarry

Potential Scratches: Matt Dumba, Harrison Brunicke (AHL rehab assignment) Tristan Broz

IR: Filip Hallander, Justin Brazeau, Rickard Rakell, Caleb Jones, Noel Acciari

• The Pens slotted in Kevin Hayes alongside Sidney Crosby and slid Tommy Novak in alongside Evgeni Malkin against the Blue Jackets. That left Connor Dewar to bump back down to the fourth line, and Tristan Broz was moved out of the lineup following his Wednesday NHL debut.

• Jarry started Friday night against the Blue Jackets, so it could be up to Arturs Silovs to take on the Leafs tonight.

• Bryan Rust appeared to be in pain, and briefly left the ice, during the second period of Friday’s game. He returned and scored to help the Pens come back from an early deficit, but his status is worth keeping an eye on today.

• Kris Letang made NHL history for more than one reason during the Pens’ 4-3 overtime comeback win against the Blue Jackets on Friday night in Columbus.

• The Pens will hope Letang’s extra-time goal is a sign this team has turned a corner in terms of competitiveness. Last night’s win marked the first time the Penguins have overcome a multi-goal deficit in the third period since April 2, 2024, per NHL PR.