Cowan, Stolarz lead Maple Leafs past Islanders for first win of season

The Toronto Maple Leafs secured their first win of the 2026-27 season by defeating the New York Islanders 2-1. Easton Cowan contributed a goal and an assist, while goaltender Anthony Stolarz made 26 saves to lead the team to victory.
Why it matters
This result marks a significant early-season development for the Maple Leafs following their season-opening loss.
TORONTO — Easton Cowan had a goal and an assist as the Toronto Maple Leafs topped the New York Islanders 2-1 on Wednesday night. Colton Sissons also scored for Toronto (1-1-0), which got 26 saves from Anthony Stolarz. Emil Heineman replied for New York (0-1-0). Ilya Sorokin stopped 24 shots. The Maple Leafs fell 3-2 to the Montreal Canadiens in their season-opener Tuesday, while the Islanders suited up for the club’s first game of 2026-27. New York had the fresher legs and tilted the ice early, but Sissons redirected his first goal for Toronto at 7:14 of the first period off a Nick Paul setup before Cowan shovelled home a power-play rebound at 11:55.
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