Tavares scores 400th goal, Toronto beats Penguins 5-2
It was a milestone night for Captain John Tavares who scored his 400th career goal, and goalie Matt Murray who grabbed his first win as a Toronto Maple Leafs against his former team which he won two Stanley Cups with, the Pittsburgh Penguins.
In maybe the most complete game the Leafs have played this season, they grabbed their first win in Pittsburgh in over four years. The team welcomed back Matt Murray in his first game since the 4-3 loss to the Montreal Canadians opening night. He looked solid stopping 34 of 36 shots.
Tavares opened the scoring in the first off a feed from Jordie Benn in the slot. Benn now has two points in two games as a Leaf and made some great defensive stops, making two key saves on the goal line when Murray was down and out. Tavares turned a ripped the shot by Casey DeSmith becoming the 107th player in NHL history to score 400. Tavares’ first career goal also came at the expense of the Pens.
Mitch Marner would score the second of the game three minutes later. Marner extends his point streak to 10 games, scoring three goals and 11 assists.
Michael Bunting scored his first of two 11 seconds into the second frame. This was Bunting’s first goal past a goalie since opening night.
Rickard Rakell and Sidney Crosby both scored in the second period to bring the game to 3-2. Crosby was the beneficiary of a brutal Rasmus Sandin turnover, trying to stretch a pass he fanned on it giving Crosby the puck on the blueline. He turned Sandin around before shooting his patented backhander past his former teammate.
Toronto would score the next two with Bunting grabbing his second, and William Nylander’s empty netter that was shot wide by Bunting going for the hattrick.
Bunting recorded three points in this one along with two assists Morgan Rielly who is yet to score this season. He has 14 assists in 17 games.
This is the third time this season the Leafs have scored four or more goals.
The Leafs head home to host the red-hot New Jersey Devils, winners of 10 straight.
TOR Scoring: Tavares (9), Marner (4), Bunting (3), Bunting (4), Nylander EN (7)
PIT Scoring: Rakell (7), Crosby (7)