On Tuesday night, Gavin McKenna scored his first NHL goal and supplied his first NHL assist as the Toronto Maple Leafs recovered from 3-0 down to beat the Nashville Predators 5-4 in overtime. The 18-year-old, playing his fourth regular-season game after being selected first overall in the 2026 NHL Draft, made both breakthrough contributions in the second period before Auston Matthews secured Toronto’s win in the extra session.
McKenna had arrived at the game without a point from his first three NHL appearances. His wait ended five minutes into the second period, when he set up John Tavares after Nashville had built a three-goal lead through the opening 23 minutes, according to Sportsnet.
That assist cut the deficit to two and was McKenna’s first NHL point. Toronto then reduced the gap further through a William Nylander power-play goal, although Nashville restored a two-goal advantage when Steven Stamkos scored.
McKenna’s defining moment followed at 14:31 of the second period. TSN reported that Matthews and Jack Roslovic assisted as the rookie took the puck in the slot and beat Nashville goaltender Juuse Saros for his first goal. Sportsnet reported that the finish brought Toronto back within one and gave the home side renewed momentum in its eventual fightback.
A first point followed quickly by a first goal
The sequence matters because McKenna did not merely reach the scoresheet in a settled win. His first assist came when Toronto were attempting to respond from 3-0 down, and his first goal arrived shortly after Nashville had re-established its two-goal cushion.
In practical terms, the winger recorded two firsts in one period: his assist on Tavares’ goal was the first point, while the goal against Saros was his first NHL finish. The Hockey News reported that McKenna had gone pointless in his opening three games, so his two-point night immediately lifted his season total from zero to two.
Sportsnet reported that McKenna helped generate pressure during a short spell with Toronto’s leading power-play unit before Nylander’s goal. His official points came on Tavares’ goal and then on his own goal, assisted by Matthews and Roslovic.
McKenna later told Sportsnet that the goal removed a weight from his shoulders. His coach, Hiller, reportedly placed greater emphasis on its timing, describing it as an important goal in the game rather than simply a personal landmark. That assessment is supported by the scoreline: McKenna’s finish made it 4-3, leaving Toronto within a single goal rather than facing another two-goal recovery.
Toronto complete the recovery
Toronto continued their response in the third period, with Roslovic scoring the equaliser before Matthews struck in overtime to complete the 5-4 victory. The Hockey News reported that McKenna was named the game’s first star, despite Matthews scoring the decisive goal.
Matthews said McKenna had persisted through the early scoreless spell despite the attention surrounding a first overall pick playing in Toronto. He suggested that getting on the scoresheet could allow the teenager to focus more fully on his game rather than the pressure attached to an early drought.
There is no basis yet for broad conclusions from one performance, but the game answered the immediate scoring question from his first three appearances: McKenna now had an NHL goal and assist. The first came in a comeback that required Toronto to erase a three-goal deficit, making the contribution more consequential than a late score in a one-sided result.
For the Maple Leafs, the result also changed the complexion of a difficult night. Nashville had controlled the early scoring, but Toronto scored five times after falling 3-0 behind. McKenna’s two-point second period was central to reducing that deficit and keeping the comeback within reach before the equaliser and overtime winner.
With only four NHL appearances in the sample, the game does not establish how regularly he will score. His first scoring night came in a comeback from a 3-0 deficit, with his two second-period points helping Toronto cut the gap. What is certain from the win over Nashville is that the rookie’s first goal, first assist and first two-point game all arrived together in a 5-4 overtime victory.