The Tampa Bay Lightning fought back late, but the Toronto Maple Leafs took a 5-3 win in Monday’s Atlantic Division bout at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.
Auston Matthews scored on a five-hole shot only four minutes into the game on a 2-on-1, and William Nylander doubled the home team’s lead early in the second period.
Nick Paul pulled the Lightning within a goal of Toronto on two separate occasions on Monday, but the host Maple Leafs held on for an empty-net goal and victory.
Paul’s power-play goal with 7:55 left in the game had cut the lead to 4-3.
Paul co-led the Lightning in scoring alongside Darren Raddysh, who had a goal and assist, and Victor Hedman, who finished with two assists.
Lightning goalie Jonas Johansson ended with 23 saves. Tampa Bay is now 25-17-3 this season and finishes a back-to-back in Montreal on Tuesday.
Scoring summary
First period
TOR 1, TBL 0
4:06 Auston Matthews (19) – Matthew Knies, Oliver Ekman-Larsson
The defending Rocket Richard Trophy winner took advantage of an early 2-on-1 rush to make it 1-0 Toronto.
Shots on goal: TOR 11, TBL 6
Second period
TOR 2, TBL 0
13:44 William Nylander (28) – Morgan Reilly
A breakaway for one of the NHL’s leading goalscorers this season ended with a 2-0 lead for the home team. Nylander’s shot beat Johansson on the blocker side after the forward was sprung by a Lightning turnover in the offensive zone.
TOR 2, TBL 1
16:07 Nick Paul (12) – Darren Raddysh, Brayden Point
The Lightning got on the scoreboard when forward Nick Paul redirected a point shot by Darren Raddysh past Woll.
TOR 3, TBL 1
19:37 Knies (17) – Mitch Marner, Matthews
Knies snuck behind the Tampa Bay defense for a shot near the Lightning net with 22.3 seconds remaining in the second period and a 3-1 lead.
Shots on goal: TBL 12, TOR 8
Third period
TOR 3, TBL 2
8:07 Raddysh (3) – Victor Hedman, Nikita Kucherov
Raddysh’s slap shot from the point pulled the Lightning within a goal of Toronto before the midway point of the third period.
TOR 4, TBL 2
10:09 Knies (18) – Marner, Bobby McMann – PP
Knies scored his second goal of the night to restore Toronto’s two-goal lead midway through the third period. Knies found a rebound at the left side of the net after a Mitch Marner shot from the point.
TOR 4, TBL 3
12:05 Paul (13) – Brandon Hagel, Hedman – PP
Paul’s second tally of the night got Tampa Bay within a goal of Toronto once again. Paul redirected a Brandon Hagel shot-pass in front of the Toronto net.
TOR 5, TBL 3
18:55 Marner (15) – EN
Marner’s empty-net goal sealed the final score.
Total shots: TBL 30, TOR 28
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