The Toronto Maple Leafs triumphed 3-0 over the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday, but the victory was marred by an injury to forward Matthew Knies. He left the game midway through the second period after taking a heavy shoulder-to-head hit from Zach Whitecloud in the neutral zone. Knies appeared disoriented and had to be helped off the ice by teammates, not returning to the game after the incident.

The hit sparked immediate retaliation, with Leafs defenseman Simon Benoit engaging Whitecloud in a physical confrontation, throwing him to the ice. Whitecloud initially received a five-minute major penalty for the hit, but after a review, the penalty was downgraded to a two-minute minor. This reversal led to frustration among fans at Scotiabank Arena, with many chanting “refs you suck,” as reported by Jesse Blake of SDPN Sports.

Head coach Craig Berube offered a brief update after the game, stating that the team would have more information on Knies’ condition on Thursday, though he didn’t have further details at the time. “It’s an upper-body injury,” Berube said, adding they would know more about Knies on Thursday.

Knies, who has been one of the Leafs’ standout young forwards, has recorded 8 goals and 12 points in 19 games this season. His injury adds to the growing list of sidelined players, joining Max Domi, Max Pacioretty, Calle Jarnkrok, and Auston Matthews, all of whom are currently on IR. Despite Knies’ absence, the Leafs managed to secure the win, with Fraser Minten scoring his first NHL goal and Joseph Woll earning a shutout with 31 saves. With the victory, the Leafs moved to 12-6-2, accumulating 26 points and overtaking the Florida Panthers to sit atop the Atlantic Division as of Thursday.