Matthews scores late, Leafs down Devils to finish road trip with 4-3 win
The Toronto Maple Leafs finished their five-game road trip with a 4-3 win over the New Jersey Devils. In those six the Leafs went 3-2. It was a tough one for the Buds however losing captain John Tavares and Ryan O’Reilly due to injuries. O’Reilly was announced earlier today that he is out for dour weeks with a broken finger.
It was different line combinations for the Leafs and things did not start out how they wanted being outshot 15-5 in the first period.
Calle Jarnkrok got things started and his new linemates got in on it. William Nylander found Jarnkrok wide open at the side of the net after a feed from Sam Lafferty. This was Lafferty’s first point as a Maple Leaf.
Erik Haula answered back to close the period out at one a piece.
Mitch Marner scored short-handed to open the third period, but the Leafs fell quickly from back-to-back goals from the Devils. Ondrej Palat scored on the powerplay to tie it and Haula scored his second to put them up midway through. Palat finished with three points.
Michael Bunting scored his 20th of the season to tie the game after David Kampf split the Devils defence for a highlight reel goal.
On the powerplay with over two minutes left in the game it was Auston Matthews with a patent wrister to score the eventual game winning goal.
The win marked their 39th of the season and seventh in their last 10.
Ilya Samsonov was solid making some huge stops within his 30 save win.
Toronto is back at home Saturday hosting Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.
TOR Scoring: Jarnkrok (14), Marner SH (23), Bunting (20), Matthews PP (29)
NJD Scoring: Haula (6), Palat PP (8), Haula (7)