Jim Hiller Addresses Easton Cowan After Maple Leafs Loss

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CALGARY, CANADA - OCTOBER 26: Easton Cowan #53 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against Devin Cooley #1 of the Calgary Flames after scoring during the second period at the Scotiabank Saddledome on October 26, 2026 in Calgary, Canada. (Photo by Brett Holmes/Getty Images)

The Toronto Maple Leafs’ four-game winning streak was snapped on Monday at the hands of the Calgary Flames.

The Maple Leafs had an up-and-down game, falling behind 3-0 early in the second period. In the second stage of the contest, the Maple Leafs showed fight and almost tied the game, but it was too little, too late. The Maple Leafs made mistakes far too often that put them on the wrong side of the game. While Easton Cowan scored to narrow the lead to two, his mistakes early in the contest likely cost the Maple Leafs their fifth straight victory.

Jim Hiller on Easton Cowan’s Performance

Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller spoke on his thoughts of Cowan’s performance on Monday, and where he believes he fell short.

“He made a couple of mistakes, but no, there’s no singular person that is going to take the blame for this loss. That was up and down the lineup. We turned it over too much, and then we didn’t defend great once we did.” Hiller stated postgame.

“He made mistakes, and I commend him for taking responsibility. But he didn’t cost us the game.”

Cowan had a few turnovers during the same shift that led to the Flames’ second goal of the contest; he also took a penalty at the end of the first frame that led to Matvei Girdin’s second goal of the contest, which sparked the Flames’ 3-goal lead.

Hiller also touched on how Cowan recovered from his mistakes and was a key asset during the final forty minutes.

“He probably was our best player after the first period, right? But we need that from the start, and it’s hard to lean on Easton all the time, right? We’ve talked about him a lot, and other players in the lineup need to step up as well, not just the youngest or the second youngest guy out there. He gets a pass. He’s worked hard. He came back, and he redeemed himself. That’s the least of my concerns.”

Maple Leafs Likely Without Kirill Marchenko on Wednesday

The Maple Leafs and Cowan will look to bounce back on Wednesday night as they face off against the Seattle Kraken. They may have to do it without their star winger Kirill Marchenko, as he left the game in the second period due to a lower-body injury.

“I don’t have the full update,” Toronto coach Jim Hiller said. “He couldn’t come back and finish the game, so that’s never a good sign.”

Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews also took center stage as he scored his 800th career NHL point, becoming the fastest player in Maple Leafs history to reach that mark (703 games).

“I think they just got to their game really quick,” Matthews said of the Flames. “They played simple. I thought we were a little bit loose with the puck halfway through the first period and just got away from what’s making us successful over the last week or so, and they definitely took advantage of it.”