TORONTO — Scott Laughton scored just 56 seconds into overtime as the Toronto Maple Leafs capped their regular season with a thrilling 4–3 comeback win over the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night.
The victory, Toronto’s 52nd of the season, seals their spot atop the Atlantic Division and sets up a first-round playoff matchup against the Ottawa Senators, with Game 1 scheduled for Sunday on home ice.
Auston Matthews, Philippe Myers, and Chris Tanev also scored for the Leafs (52-26-4), while Joseph Woll turned aside 31 shots in net. Mitch Marner chipped in with two assists to round out a balanced offensive effort.
Former Leaf Justin Holl recorded a goal and an assist for Detroit, with Austin Watson and Alex DeBrincat also scoring. Goaltender Cam Talbot made 16 saves for the Red Wings (39-35-8), who will miss the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season.
While the game had no playoff implications— all postseason matchups were locked in prior to puck drop — the Leafs still delivered a memorable finish. Trailing 3-1 entering the third period, Toronto mounted a spirited comeback, capped by Tanev’s dramatic game-tying goal with just 1.8 seconds left in regulation—his third of the season.
That moment set the stage for Laughton’s quick winner in overtime, sending the crowd at Scotiabank Arena home on a high note.
The Leafs are now preparing for their ninth straight playoff appearance, hoping to build on their limited postseason success during the salary-cap era. Toronto has advanced past the first round only once since 2004.
Holl’s return to Toronto marked a notable subplot in the game. The defenceman spent eight years in the Leafs’ organization before joining the Red Wings in free agency last summer.
Leafs head coach Craig Berube said before the game that he expects Jake McCabe, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and David Kampf—all sidelined with injuries—to be available for the playoff opener.
For Detroit, the loss officially ends their season, extending a playoff drought that now spans nearly a decade. Only the Buffalo Sabres have endured a longer stretch without postseason hockey, at 14 years.
Toronto’s division title marks their first in a full season since 1999–2000, and just their third since the NHL’s post-1967 expansion era.