TORONTO (AP) — Connor Hellebuyck made 23 saves for his first shutout with New Jersey and the Devils beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-0 on Sunday night.
Acquired from the Winnipeg Jets last month after demanding a trade, Hellebuyck became the first goalie in franchise history to win each of his first five games with the club.
The Devils are set to play at Winnipeg on Tuesday night, with general manager Sunny Mehta saying Sunday night that Hellebuyck will not play. Hellebuyck had his first shutout of the season and the 46th of his NHL career.
Timo Meier scored twice for New Jersey (13-5-0), which has won nine of its last 10 games. Nico Hischier, with a goal and an assist, and Connor Brown, into an empty net, provided the rest of the offense. Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt each had two assists.
Anthony Stolarz stopped 25 shots for Toronto (8-9-2). The Maple Leafs have lost three straight and five of their last six in regulation.
Meier opened the scoring at 8:28 of the second period when he was left alone in front after a faceoff in the offensive zone. The winger doubled the advantage with 7:16 left in the period when a Hughes' shot deflected off Meier and past Stolarz.
Hischier made it 3-0 on a power play at 9:49 of the third, and Brown iced it into the empty net. Hischier assisted on Meier’s first goal to become the third Swiss-born player in NHL history with 500 career points, joining Roman Josi (799) and Kevin Fiala (528).
The Hockey Hall of Fame’s class of 2026 was honored before the puck drop. Carey Price, Patrice Bergeron, Pekka Rinne, Keith Tkachuk and Cindy Curley are set to be enshrined in the player category Monday. Brian Burke will go in as a builder.
Devils: At Winnipeg on Tuesday night.
Maple Leafs: Host Colorado on Tuesday night
See AP’s full NHL coverage here
Toronto Maple Leafs' William Nylander (88) and New Jersey Devils' Brett Pesce (22) battle for the puck as New Jersey Devils goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) keeps an eye out during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
New Jersey Devils goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) makes a save against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
New Jersey Devils goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, left, Cody Glass, center, and Brenden Dillon (5) celebrate after their team's win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in an NHL hockey game in Toronto, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
NEW DELHI (AP) — A thick blanket of smog shrouded India’s capital early Monday after firecrackers lit up the skies over New Delhi during Diwali celebrations, compounding dangerously high pollution levels and intensifying the seasonal air pollution crisis that grips the city every year.
Despite restrictions on fireworks, residents in New Delhi celebrated the Hindu festival of lights with firecrackers on Sunday evening, releasing smoke and fine particulate matter into the atmosphere. The Air Quality Index exceeded 350 in several parts of the capital on Monday morning, reaching the severe category and posing significant health risks.
Monitoring stations across the city recorded similarly alarming levels, while visibility deteriorated as a gray haze blanketed streets and high-rise buildings.
India’s Supreme Court in October had sought to limit Diwali pollution by restricting conventional firecrackers and allowing only approved “green firecrackers” under specified conditions for three-hour windows on Saturday and Sunday. The crackers produce fewer emissions but are not pollution-free. They still release particulate matter and other pollutants, adding to the city’s already hazardous air.
New Delhi and its metropolitan region, home to more than 30 million people, regularly rank among the world’s most polluted areas during winter. Pollution worsens as Diwali fireworks coincide with cooler weather and smoke from crop-residue fires in neighboring states of Punjab and Haryana.
After harvesting rice, farmers often burn leftover stalks to clear their fields for the next planting season. The smoke drifts toward New Delhi, adding to pollution from vehicles, industries, construction dust and other local sources.
The problem becomes particularly acute in late October and November, when cooler temperatures, low wind speeds and stagnant atmospheric conditions prevent pollutants from dispersing. The result is a thick haze that can linger over the capital and surrounding areas for days.
Authorities in New Delhi have implemented a set of measures to curb pollution, which include limits on construction activity and restrictions on diesel generators, while courts have sough restrictions on firecrackers. But the measures have not prevented the return of severe pollution each year.
Environmentalists say long-term solutions, such as cleaner energy and stricter controls on vehicle emissions, are needed to prevent the annual crisis.
People light firecrackers to celebrate Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
A man holds a sparkler while celebrating Diwali in New Delhi, India, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026, as air pollution levels rise across the region. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
Motorists navigate through heavy air pollution following Diwali celebrations in New Delhi, India, on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
Children play with sparklers and firecrackers to celebrate Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, in New Delhi, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup) Photo made with smartphone.
A child celebrates after lighting firecrackers during Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, in Hyderabad, India, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)
