Fantilli powers Blue Jackets over Maple Leafs

TORONTO – Adam Fantilli scored his second goal of the game at 4:21 of overtime to go along with an assist as the Columbus Blue Jackets survived a blown 2-0 lead in topping the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 on Thursday.

Dmitri Voronkov added a goal and an assist each for Columbus (11-8-2). Jet Greaves made 27 saves. Zach Werenski chipped in three assists.

John Tavares and Dakota Mermis replied for Toronto (9-9-3). Joseph Woll stopped 27 shots.

The injury-hit Maple Leafs, who snapped an ugly five-game slide Tuesday with a 3-2 overtime victory against the St. Louis Blues, got veteran centre Scott Laughton back in the lineup, but were still minus six regulars, including star centre and captain Auston Matthews.

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Fantilli fired a shot that deflected in off Voronkov for the Blue Jackets’ opener in the second period before giving his team a 2-0 lead.

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Mermis cut the deficit in half with his first for the Maple Leafs to make it 2-1 through 40 minutes before Tavares equalized early in the third.

Takeaways

Maple Leafs: Matthews took part in Thursday’s morning skate — his first time on the ice with the main group since suffering a lower-body injury last week.

Blue Jackets: Greaves, a 24-year-old undrafted free agent from Cambridge, Ont., made his 13th start of the season. Veteran option Elvis Merzlikins has started eight of the Blue Jackets’ first 21 games.

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Key moment

Fantilli, who scored his first career hat trick in Toronto last season, scored the winner off the rush in extra period after stepping past Leafs forward Max Domi.

Key stat

Toronto played its NHL-leading 15th home date of the schedule. The club is set to embark on a six-game road trip and won’t play again at Scotiabank Arena until Dec. 6.

Up next

Maple Leafs: Visit the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday.

Blues: Visit the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 20, 2025.