Toronto Maple Leafs at Detroit Red Wings
NHL game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Detroit Red Wings on Dec 29, 2025. Final score: Toronto Maple Leafs 2, Detroit Red Wings 3.
| Status | Final |
|---|---|
| Date | Dec 29, 2025 |
| Venue | Little Caesars Arena |
| Toronto Maple Leafs score | 2 |
| Detroit Red Wings score | 3 |
Shot charts, expected goals (xG), Game Score and advanced box scores for this game are available on Hockey Alchemy.
Three Stars by Game Score
Ranked by Game Score, which rolls goals, assists, shot quality, play-driving and penalties into one number — so the best player is chosen by the box score, not by a vote.
| Player | Pos | G | A | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | John Tavares | C | 0 | 2 | 3 | 17:47 | 0.37 | 1.38 |
| 2nd | Mason Appleton | C | 1 | 0 | 3 | 15:08 | 0.14 | 0.90 |
| 3rd | Nicholas Robertson | L | 1 | 0 | 3 | 12:54 | 0.24 | 0.80 |
Scoring Summary
| Time | Team | Goal | Assists | Strength | Score (Toronto Maple Leafs–Detroit Red Wings) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd 04:25 | TOR | Matthew Knies | Auston Matthews, John Tavares | 4v5 | 1–0 |
| 2nd 19:01 | DET | Moritz Seider | Lucas Raymond | 5v5 | 1–1 |
| 3rd 04:53 | TOR | Nicholas Robertson | John Tavares | 5v5 | 2–1 |
| 3rd 05:16 | DET | Mason Appleton | Michael Rasmussen, Albert Johansson | 5v5 | 2–2 |
| OT 01:46 | DET | Simon Edvinsson | — | 3v3 | 2–3 |
Team Comparison
| Toronto Maple Leafs | Detroit Red Wings | |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 2 | 3 |
| Shots on goal | 27 | 36 |
| Expected goals (xG) | 2.49 | 3.07 |
| High-danger shots | 12 | 14 |
| Corsi % | 45.7% | 54.3% |
| Power play | 1/2 | 0/1 |
| Faceoff % | 46.7% | 53.3% |
| Hits | 24 | 12 |
| Blocks | 11 | 14 |
| Giveaways | 11 | 14 |
| Takeaways | 5 | 4 |
Toronto Maple Leafs Skaters
| Player | Pos | G | A | P | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Tavares | C | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 17:47 | 0.37 | 1.38 |
| Nicholas Robertson | L | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 12:54 | 0.24 | 0.80 |
| Matthew Knies | L | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 17:28 | 0.48 | 0.80 |
| Auston Matthews | C | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 22:01 | 0.51 | 0.64 |
| Philippe Myers | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13:59 | 0.01 | 0.20 |
| Oliver Ekman-Larsson | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 21:49 | 0.05 | 0.15 |
| Dakota Joshua | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 12:23 | 0.18 | 0.15 |
| Steven Lorentz | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11:24 | 0.01 | 0.15 |
| Chris Tanev | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 20:10 | 0.02 | 0.15 |
| Troy Stecher | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19:37 | 0.01 | 0.10 |
| Nicolas Roy | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15:52 | 0.03 | 0.10 |
| Scott Laughton | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10:44 | 0.14 | 0.10 |
| Morgan Rielly | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 20:35 | 0.07 | 0.05 |
| Easton Cowan | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9:53 | 0.08 | 0.05 |
| Jake McCabe | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22:48 | 0.19 | 0.00 |
| Matias Maccelli | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15:43 | 0.01 | -0.05 |
| Bobby McMann | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 19:12 | 0.09 | -0.10 |
| Max Domi | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 18:59 | 0.02 | -0.10 |
Detroit Red Wings Skaters
| Player | Pos | G | A | P | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mason Appleton | C | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 15:08 | 0.14 | 0.90 |
| Simon Edvinsson | D | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 25:57 | 0.22 | 0.80 |
| Albert Johansson | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 13:55 | 0.05 | 0.79 |
| Moritz Seider | D | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 24:24 | 0.13 | 0.75 |
| Michael Rasmussen | C | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 13:28 | 0.00 | 0.64 |
| Lucas Raymond | L | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 19:50 | 0.26 | 0.59 |
| Emmitt Finnie | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 19:58 | 0.36 | 0.15 |
| Ben Chiarot | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 22:36 | 0.12 | 0.10 |
| Alex DeBrincat | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17:06 | 0.36 | 0.10 |
| Nate Danielson | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8:42 | 0.09 | 0.05 |
| Marco Kasper | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8:25 | 0.20 | 0.05 |
| John Leonard | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7:31 | 0.08 | 0.05 |
| Dylan Larkin | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 21:21 | 0.13 | 0.00 |
| Jacob Bernard-Docker | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17:07 | 0.00 | -0.05 |
| Axel Sandin-Pellikka | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15:47 | 0.05 | -0.05 |
| Patrick Kane | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 17:51 | 0.26 | -0.05 |
| Andrew Copp | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 17:29 | 0.51 | -0.05 |
| J.T. Compher | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15:47 | 0.00 | -0.25 |
Goaltending
| Goalie | Team | SV | SA | SV% | GSAx | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dennis Hildeby | Toronto Maple Leafs | 33 | 36 | 91.7% | 0.94 | O |
| Cam Talbot | Detroit Red Wings | 25 | 27 | 92.6% | 0.81 | W |
Analysis
The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 3–2 on Dec 29, 2025, a one-goal game.
Detroit Red Wings generated 3.07 expected goals to Toronto Maple Leafs's 2.49 — Detroit Red Wings edged the chance share as well as the scoreline.
John Tavares led all skaters with a Game Score of 1.38 on 2 assists, 3 shots on goal.
Dennis Hildeby stopped 33 of 36, worth 0.94 goals saved above expected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Toronto Maple Leafs vs Detroit Red Wings game?
The Detroit Red Wings beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3–2 on Dec 29, 2025.
What was the final score?
The final score was Detroit Red Wings 3, Toronto Maple Leafs 2.
Who was the best player in this game?
By Game Score — a single-number summary of everything a skater did — John Tavares led all skaters at 1.38, on 0G, 2A and 3 shots on goal.
Which team deserved to win by expected goals?
Detroit Red Wings generated 3.07 expected goals and Toronto Maple Leafs generated 2.49, so Detroit Red Wings created the better chances. That matches the result.
What were the shot totals?
Toronto Maple Leafs put 27 shots on goal and Detroit Red Wings put 36. High-danger chances went 12 to 14.
How did the goaltenders play?
Dennis Hildeby stopped 33 of 36 (0.94 goals saved above expected); Cam Talbot stopped 25 of 27 (0.81 goals saved above expected).