Knies powers Maple Leafs over Lightning

TORONTO – Matthew Knies had 2 goals and an assistance arsenic the Toronto Maple Leafs held connected precocious to down the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-3 connected Monday.

Auston Matthews, with a extremity and an assist, and William Nylander besides scored for Toronto (30-16-2). Joseph Woll made 27 saves. Mitch Marner added an empty-net extremity and 2 assists.

Nick Paul scored doubly for Tampa (25-17-3), portion Darren Raddysh had a extremity and an assist. Jonas Johansson stopped 23 shots. Victor Hedman chipped successful 2 assists.

The Leafs, who picked up a 3rd consecutive regularisation triumph implicit the Lightning this season, apical the Atlantic Division with 62 points aft extending their existent winning streak to 3 games.

Nylander made it 2-0 with his team-leading 28th connected a breakaway successful the 2nd period. Paul got 1 backmost for the visitors, but Knies enactment Toronto up 3-1 close earlier the intermission.

Raddysh and Knies traded goals successful the 3rd earlier Paul made it 4-3 with nether 8 minutes to spell connected a powerfulness play. Marner scored into the bare nett with 65 seconds to spell successful regulation.

TAKEAWAYS

Leafs: Woll made his 25th quality to lucifer the netminder’s career-high acceptable successful 2023-24. Monday besides marked his 61st regular-season game.

Lightning: Johansson got the telephone successful spot of No. 1 goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy. The erstwhile Vezina Trophy victor allowed 8 goals connected 38 shots successful his 2 starts against Toronto this season.

KEY MOMENT

The teams appeared poised to caput to the locker rooms for the 2nd intermission with the Leafs up 2-1 erstwhile Marner recovered Knies down Tampa’s defence to reconstruct the location side’s two-goal pb with 22.3 seconds near connected the clock.

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KEY STAT

Matthews, who led the NHL with 69 goals past season, has scored 8 times and added six assists implicit 9 games since sitting retired six contests with an undisclosed upper-body injury. He was besides sidelined for 9 games earlier successful the docket with the aforesaid issue.

UP NEXT

Lightning: Continue a four-game roadworthy travel Tuesday successful Montreal against the Canadiens.

Maple Leafs: Host the Columbus Blue Jackets connected Wednesday.

This study by The Canadian Press was archetypal published Jan. 20, 2025.