John Tavares scored in the third period to snap a 2-2 tie Wednesday and the Toronto Maple Leafs went on to defeat the visiting Utah Mammoth 5-3.
Tavares added an assist and William Nylander, Matias Maccelli and Matthew Knies also had a goal and an assist each. Auston Matthews scored for the Maple Leafs, who have won three in a row. Jake McCabe added two assists and Anthony Stolarz made 21 saves.
Michael Carcone, Mikhail Sergachev and Dylan Guenther scored for the Mammoth, who have split the first two of a four-game road trip that started Tuesday with a 2-1 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres. Vitek Vanecek stopped 14 shots.
Most of the first period was tight checking, although Tavares dinged a shot off a post. The teams opened up in the late stages and Carcone scored at 18:49 of the first from the edge of the crease after Lawson Crouse beat Toronto’s Brandon Carlo to the puck behind the net and dished it to the goalmouth. Toronto has allowed the first goal in seven straight games.
Nylander tied the game when he fired an 11-foot wrister while dropping to one knee under the bar at 4:46 of the second period after Knies chipped the puck in front.
Matthews gave Toronto the lead at 8:56 of the second, snapping home a 32-footer from Maccelli’s pass.
Stolarz was nimble during a spell in the second when Utah had back-to-back power plays.
Utah tied the game on Sergachev’s long slap shot through the five-hole at 16:27 of the second. Dmitri Simashev made the pass to earn his first NHL point.
Toronto started the third period with an unsuccessful power play.
Tavares, who was honored before the game for scoring his 500th career goal last Wednesday, scored No. 501 on a backhand from close range at 8:06 of the third period.
Maccelli scored from the right circle at 15:40 of the third on a 22-foot wrist shot.
Knies scored into an empty net at 17:01 and Guenther scored at 18:53.
Toronto’s top rookie Easton Cowan was assigned to the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League and Scott Laughton (foot) was activated from injured reserve.
–Field Level Media
