Maple Leafs rebound
Auston Matthews could sense his line was getting close. Joe Thornton had a goal waved off late in Wednesday’s first period before another early one in the second was also called back.
Moments later, Matthews made sure Toronto’s third shot to cross the line counted.
The star centre blasted home his NHL-best 14th goal of the season, Alexander Kerfoot scored the winner and the Maple Leafs rebounded from an embarrassing collapse 48 hours earlier against Ottawa, grinding out a 2-1 victory over the last-place Senators.
Thornton’s first effort Wednesday was denied after it was ruled he pushed the puck and Matt Murray’s pad into the net, while the other was cancelled out for a high stick.
But just nine seconds later, Leafs defenceman Justin Holl fed Matthews for a one-timer and a 1-0 lead.
“There’s nothing you can really do about those (disallowed goals),” Matthews said. “Once we scored there right after the high stick, the boys were saying, ‘The puck don’t lie.’”
Frederik Andersen made 27 saves for Toronto (12-3-2), keeping his team in it early with some timely stops, while Jake Muzzin chipped in with two assists.
The Senators roared back from a 5-1 deficit in Monday’s opener of this three-game series against the Leafs before securing a stunning 6-5 overtime decision — the first time in franchise history Ottawa won a game after trailing by four goals.
Despite sitting atop the North Division standings and possessing one of the NHL’s best winning percentages in the league' s pandemic shortened 56- game season, the Toronto market was a tinder box after that collapse, with one of the city’s newspapers calling out Leafs winger William Nylander on its front page.
“We’ve got to block that out,” Kerfoot said of the noise. “We’re playing good hockey for the most part. That's what great about playing in Toronto — lots of people care about the team, they're passionate, and they voice their opinions at times.”
Brady Tkachuk replied for Ottawa (4-13-1), while Murray made 26 stops for the rebuilding Senators, who wrap up this three-game set against the Leafs at Scotiabank Arena tonight.
“We were right there,” Tkachuk said. “It’s a good sign we can hang right there with them.”