LOS ANGELES (AP) — Florida Panthers forward Brad Marchand sustained a left leg injury in the second period of their game against the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night.
Marchand was hurt after taking a stick to the face from Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke with 52.6 seconds remaining, which caused him to twist around and collide with the right post before his left leg bent back in an awkward way.
Marchand was down on the ice for several minutes being examined by a trainer before teammates Brady Tkachuk and Niko Mikkola helped him to the bench, with Marchand unable to put any weight on his leg. He was then helped back to the dressing room.
Clarke received a four-minute double minor penalty.
Marchand was not on the bench to start the third period.
Marchand, 38, is in his third season with the Panthers after playing his first 16 seasons with the Boston Bruins. He was traded to Florida in March 2025 and helped them win their second straight Stanley Cup that season.
It was the second penalty of the game for Clarke, who had been called for interference against Eetu Luostarinen earlier in the period. Luostarinen was shaken up on a cross-check from Clarke but returned to the game after going to the locker room.
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Florida Panthers left wing Brad Marchand, second from right, is helped off the ice by left wing Brady Tkachuk, second from left, and defenseman Niko Mikkola after he was injured as Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty looks on during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
TORONTO (AP) — No. 1 draft pick Gavin McKenna scored his first NHL goal with the Toronto Maple Leafs in a 5-4 overtime victory over the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night.
McKenna scored on goaltender Juuse Saros in the second period of his fourth professional game. The 18-year-old took a pass from Auston Matthews, beat Saros with a high shot.
McKenna also had an assist on Toronto’s first goal by William Nylander for his first NHL point.
“Big monkey off the back,” McKenna said. “That one felt good. That’s a goal I’ll obviously remember forever.”
Toronto coach Jim Hiller described the shot as “a goal-scorer’s goal.”
“By trade he’s a playmaker, but that was a goal-scorer’s goal," Hiller said. "Got his feet around it on the strong side, and he had some zip on it.”
McKenna scored and dropped to one knee in celebration before getting mobbed by his teammates.
“A bullet, top shelf,” said Toronto winger William Nylander, who finished with a goal and two assists. “I’d be very happy if I scored that one.”
McKenna said his first points felt as though they were a long time coming, longer than three games.
“Every single game I’ve been trying to get better,” he said. “I thought (Tuesday) was my best one. I think I’m taking steps in the right direction. Hopefully there’s a few more to come.”
The Maple Leafs missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade last spring, and beat the draft lottery odds by winning the right to select McKenna with the first overall selection in June.
The Yukon native who played college hockey at Penn State was just one of a number of new faces to arrive in Toronto during the off season. The Maple Leafs added goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and defenseman Darren Raddysh before the club acquired winger Kirill Marchenko a day before its regular-season opener.
McKenna, who tore up the Canadian Hockey League before spending 2025-26 in the NCAA, entered play averaging 14 minutes, 32 seconds of ice time with three shots on target and a minus-3 rating through three games.
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Toronto Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews (34) celebrates his game-winning goal against the Nashville Predators with Gavin McKenna (92) in overtime of an NHL hockey game in Toronto, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Maple Leafs' Gavin McKenna (92) celebrates his goal against the Nashville Predators during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Maple Leafs' Gavin McKenna (92) celebrates his goal against the Nashville Predators during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Maple Leafs' Gavin McKenna (second right) celebrates his goal against the Nashville Predators with Auston Matthews, left to right, Chris Tanev and Jake McCabe during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Maple Leafs' Gavin McKenna (second right) celebrates his goal against the Nashville Predators with Auston Matthews, left to right, Chris Tanev and Jake McCabe during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)
