Dennis Hildeby earns his first NHL shutout as Maple Leafs blank Lightning 2-0

TORONTO (AP) — Dennis Hildeby made 29 saves for the first shutout of his NHL career as the Toronto Maple Leafs blanked the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-0 on Monday night.

Morgan Rielly and Auston Matthews, into the empty net, scored for Toronto, which improved to 4-0-1 over its last five games.

Jonas Johansson stopped 22 shots for Tampa Bay. The Lightning have dropped four straight after winning seven in a row.

Hildeby, who started the season as the Maple Leafs’ No. 4 goaltending option, got another start with both Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll on injured reserve.

The Lightning had center Brayden Point and winger Nikita Kucherov back in the lineup from injury absences, but were minus No. 1 goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy. Point missed seven games with an undisclosed injury, while Kucherov sat out Saturday’s 2-0 home loss to the New York Islanders.

Tampa Bay has now been shut out in consecutive games for the first time since November 2023.

Lightning coach Jon Cooper said he hopes Vasilevskiy can return during the team’s four-game road trip, which started Monday.

John Tavares assisted on Rielly’s goal to become the first Toronto player age 35 or older with at least 30 points before their 30th game of a season since Mats Sundin in 2007-08.

Lightning: At Montreal on Tuesday night in the second of a four-game trip.

Maple Leafs: Host San Jose on Thursday night in the third of a five-game homestand.

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

Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Pontus Holmberg, left, looks to shoot on Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Dennis Hildeby, rigjht, during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Matthew Knies (23) battles for the puck with Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov (86) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews (34) looks to wrap the puck around Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Jonas Johansson's net during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Dennis Hildeby (35) makes a save in front of Tampa Bay Lightning's Jake Guentzel (59) and Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe (22) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo developed a reputation for making rapid returns from injury during his rise to superstardom, but the Milwaukee Bucks forward acknowledges those days may be drawing to a close.

Antetokounmpo had 19 points and 11 rebounds Monday night in Milwaukee’s 108-81 loss to the Boston Celtics, his first action since straining his right calf on Jan. 23. The two-time MVP has missed a career-high 29 games this season, 23 of those with calf injuries.

That's a new experience for Antetokounmpo, who had grown accustomed to returning earlier than expected from injuries.

“I’ve just got to be smarter moving forward, because things that I was able to do in the past maybe I’m not able to do now,” Antetokounmpo said. “I’ve just got to be more methodical with my rehab.”

During Milwaukee's 2021 playoff run, Antetokounmpo missed just two games with a hyperextended left knee and went on to earn NBA Finals MVP honors while leading the Bucks to their first championship in half a century. Antetokounmpo scored 50 points in the series-ending Game 6 victory over the Phoenix Suns.

This season has proved more frustrating.

“I’m not old, but I’m older, for sure,” Antetokounmpo said. “I’m not 24 years old anymore. I’m 31.”

Antetokounmpo missed eight games with a right calf strain in December, came back and then strained his calf again. Calf issues also caused him to miss Milwaukee's 2024 first-round playoff loss to Indiana.

“When you’re dealing with soft-tissue issues, it’s hard,” Antetokounmpo said. “I’ve dealt with knee pain in the past. It’s totally different. If you're not able to take care of your soft-tissue injuries, they can linger. I think that’s what happened this year. I feel like I've been playing the whole year with a deficit.”

The same could be said for Antetokounmpo's team.

Milwaukee is 15-16 with Antetokounmpo and 11-18 without him as the Bucks are facing increasingly long odds in their bid for a 10th straight playoff berth.

The Bucks are 11th in the Eastern Conference standings, 3 1/2 games behind 10th-place Charlotte. The teams that finish seventh through 10th compete in a tournament for the East’s two final playoff spots.

Milwaukee went 8-2 without Antetokounmpo from Feb. 3-25 but has lost its last three games by a combined 79 points. Bucks coach Doc Rivers altered his rotation Monday by giving Ousmane Dieng his second start of the season and not playing Kyle Kuzma.

Forward Bobby Portis referred to Milwaukee's 8-2 stretch as “fool's gold,” pointing out that many of those wins came against teams with losing records.

“Obviously a lot of ground we have to cover to get into a play-in situation, a playoff situation,” Portis said. “New waters for us, new uncharted waters for us. Really not used to being in this situation, but I just think … staying together is big. So many ways different guys can go. You can start thinking about yourself. You can start thinking about summer, whatever it is.”

The Bucks will try to make their push amid speculation about Antetokounmpo's future.

In October, Antetokounmpo becomes eligible to sign a four-year contract extension worth up to $275 million. He otherwise could become a free agent at the end of next season.

Although Antetokounmpo repeatedly has discussed how much he loves playing in Milwaukee, he also has prioritized wanting to play on a team that’s committed to competing for championships. The Bucks have lost in the first round of the playoffs each of the last three seasons.

Now they'll have their hands full getting to the postseason at all. In the meantime, Antetokounmpo will have his minutes restricted while he works toward full health and gets accustomed to playing with Dieng and Cam Thomas.

“I’m just happy that I’m on the court,” Antetokounmpo said. “It doesn’t matter if I play 18 minutes, 20 minutes, 22, whatever, I’m just happy that I’m out there. I’m just in a mindset where I try not to take nothing for granted.”

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo dunks during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics, Monday, March 2, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo warms up before an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics, Monday, March 2, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo warms up before an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics, Monday, March 2, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo looks on during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics, Monday, March 2, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo looks on during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Toronto Raptors, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo watches teammates during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls in Chicago, Sunday, March 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo watches teammates during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls in Chicago, Sunday, March 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)