Alex Steeves scores 1st NHL goal, helps lead the Maple Leafs to a 6-3 win over the Hurricanes

TORONTO (AP) — Alex Steeves scored his first NHL goal as the Toronto Maple Leafs jumped out to an early lead and beat the Carolina Hurricanes 6-3 Saturday night.

Pontus Holmberg had two goals and an assist, John Tavares had a goal and an assist and David Kampf and Auston Matthews also scored for Toronto. Matthews and Holmberg had empty-net goals after Carolina closed within 4-3 in the third. Holmberg was credited with his first goal after Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal accidentally put the puck in his own net.

The 25-year-old Steeves, who leads the AHL with 29 goals, also had an assist in his 12th NHL game. Anthony Stolarz made 31 saves.

Shayne Gostisbehere and Andrei Svechnikov each had a goal and an assist, and Jaccob Slavin also scored for the Hurricanes. Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 17 shots.

Maple Leafs: Pockets of the Scotiabank Arena crowd booed “The Star-Spangled Banner” before the game, continuing a trend across Canada of jeering the American anthem in response to President Donald Trump’s tariff threats and musings his country’s northern neighbor should become its “51st state.”

Hurricanes: Saturday marked exactly five years since the club was forced to use emergency backup goaltender David Ayres against Toronto when both their netminders went down injured. The 42-year-old Zamboni driver finished with eight saves in a stunning 6-3 victory.

The Hurricanes finally started to push after Kampf’s 3-0 goal, but Stolarz was there to make a string of big saves. Nylander then set up Tavares moments later to stretch the home team's lead to four goals.

Brent Burns skated in his 900th consecutive game, dating to Nov. 21, 2013. The Carolina defenseman is the sixth player in NHL history to accomplish the feat.

Up next

The Maple Leafs open a four-game trip Sunday at Chicato. The Hurricanes are at Montreal on Tuesday.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL

Toronto Maple Leafs centre Bobby McMann (74) and Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Dmitry Orlov (7) chase after the puck during second period NHL hockey action in Toronto, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Maple Leafs right wing William Nylander (88) passes the puck away from Carolina Hurricanes centre Jesperi Kotkaniemi (82) during second period NHL hockey action in Toronto, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025.(Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP)

Carolina Hurricanes center Seth Jarvis (24) skates with the puck as Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson (95) pursues during first-period NHL hockey game action in Toronto, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Maple Leafs' Alex Steeves (46) Jake McCabe (22) are congratulated by teammates after Steeves' goal against the Carolina Hurricanes during first-period NHL hockey game action in Toronto, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Mitch Marner (16) shoots while Carolina Hurricanes right wing Andrei Svechnikov (37) looks on during second-period NHL hockey game action in Toronto, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP)

HAMBURG, Germany (AP) — Bayer Leverkusen's game at Hamburger SV in the Bundesliga on Tuesday was postponed on short notice over structural concerns involving the Hamburg stadium's roof.

In an announcement less than three hours before kickoff, the league said the Volksparkstadion had been closed because of “weather-related structural risks in the area of the stadium roof.” The game will be rescheduled for a later date.

The stadium's roof covers the seating areas and leaves the playing surface exposed.

It's the third Bundesliga game in recent days to be called off. Two games originally scheduled for Saturday were postponed due to safety concerns around snow and ice in northern Germany.

The game between Hamburg-based St. Pauli and Leipzig and another between Werder Bremen and Hoffenheim were both rescheduled to Jan. 27 earlier Wednesday.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Workers clear snow from a platform at the main station after heavy snowfall, in Hamburg, Germany, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. ( Daniel Bockwoldt/dpa via AP)

A sign in the stadium after the Bundesliga soccer match between Hamburger SV and Bayer Leverkusen was cancelled due to winter weather in Hamburg, Germany, Tuesday Jan. 13, 2026. (Christian Charisius/dpa via AP)

FILE - Frankfurt's goalkeeper Michael Zetterer lies on the pitch after conceding a goal by Hamburg's Albert Lokonga during the Bundesliga soccer match between Hamburger SV and Eintracht Frankfurt, in Hamburg, Germany, Saturday Dec. 20, 2025. (Christian Charisius/dpa via AP, File)