TORONTO — Mitch Marner had a purpose and two assists because the Toronto Maple Leafs overcame one other sluggish begin to down the Minnesota Wild Four-2 on Tuesday night time.
Andreas Johnsson, with a purpose and an help, John Tavares and Auston Matthews additionally scored for Toronto (Four-2-1), whereas Frederik Andersen made 27 saves.
Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly added 4 assists within the second interval to tie a franchise file set by Rick Vaive on March 12, 1984, for probably the most by a Leafs participant in a regular-season interval.
Luke Kunin and Gerald Mayhew replied for Minnesota (1-5-Zero). Devan Dubnyk stopped 30 photographs for the Wild, who beat the Ottawa Senators 2-Zero within the nation’s capital Monday afternoon for his or her first win of 2019-20.
After falling behind early for the sixth time in seven video games to open the schedule — and the fifth time in 5 dwelling dates — Toronto exploded with 4 targets within the second interval.
Tavares obtained issues going at 1:58 when he wired a slapshot off the publish and in on Dubnyk for his second of the season.
The purpose got here after head coach Mike Babcock moved Trevor Moore as much as play with Tavares and Marner, whereas Kasperi Kapanen slid down the lineup to affix Alexander Kerfoot and Ilya Mikheyev.
Marner then gave the Leafs, who go to the Washington Capitals on Wednesday within the second recreation of a back-to-back, their first lead on an influence play at 7:17 when he took a no-look go from Johnsson down low and fired a shot by means of the pads that Dubnyk may solely get a bit of for his third.
The Wild, who will play 13 of their first 18 video games in 2019-20 on the highway, appeared to have a superb probability to get again even later within the interval, however Ryan Hartman pulled down Leafs defenceman Jake Muzzin with Ryan Donato off to the races on a breakaway.
Toronto made Minnesota pay simply 10 seconds later when Johnsson batted a puck out of the air in Dubnyk’s crease at eight:29 because the Leafs linked on two of their first three power-play alternatives after coming in simply 5-for-22 on the season.
The house facet then went up Four-1 at 13:05 when Matthews scored his seventh on a fairly give-and-go with Marner off the frenzy by burying his personal rebound after Dubnyk, who entered Zero-Four-Zero with a Four.56 goals-against common and .862 save share, made the preliminary cease after a clumsy Wild change.
Toronto Maple Leafs ahead Auston Matthews (John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports activities)
Andersen didn’t have a ton to do on the different finish, however was known as upon to cease Marcus Foligno on a breakaway within the closing minute of the second after the Leafs’ fourth line and third defence pair obtained caught being too aggressive within the offensive zone.
The Leafs goalie then needed to be sharp 5 minutes into the third on Three-on-1 break when he robbed Zach Parise after Toronto turned the puck over on an odd-man rush of their very own.
Johnsson almost obtained his second later within the interval, however his blast from the hash marks rattled the crossbar and stayed out.
Mayhew, who was making his NHL debut, scored late for the Wild as Toronto improved to 2-2-1 at dwelling and picked up its first victory at Scotiabank Enviornment since beating Ottawa within the season opener.
Having performed simply as soon as at dwelling thus far this season, the Wild opened the scoring at 5:29 of the primary after Dubnyk stopped William Nylander on a break and killed off an early penalty.
Kunin obtained the puck on the high of the faceoff circle and fired a shot that Andersen may solely get a bit of with Joel Eriksson Ek screening in entrance for his second.
Minnesota Wild heart Luke Kunin (AP Picture/Hannah Foslien)
The Leafs, who snapped a Zero-2-1 stretch with Saturday’s 5-2 highway victory in Detroit over the Crimson Wings, had a few alternatives to get even, together with an honest probability off the stick of Matthews, however Dubnyk was there earlier than the floodgates ultimately opened after the intermission.
Notes
Mayhew, a 26-year-old product of Ferris State College and a veteran of 164 American Hockey League video games, did a solo lap earlier than warmups. … Minnesota visits Montreal on Thursday earlier than internet hosting the Canadiens on Sunday.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Oct. 15, 2019.
Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press
