Leafs reach century mark in points
Blue Jays catcher Russell Martin tags out Didi Gregorius of the New York Yankees at the plate in the second inning Friday at Rogers Centre in a game the Jays lost 4-2. For full game coverage, go to nationalpost.com.
NEW YORK• At times, the Toronto Maple Leafs were having trouble with the 100-point altitude they were hovering around Friday night.
The New York Islanders — out of the playoffs, with a backup goalie and with only one point from John Tavares — were threatening to keep the Leafs stuck on 99 at the Barclays Center. But Toronto, which clinched its playoff spot while lounging at its Brooklyn hotel Thursday, got the one point it needed in a 5- 4 win. William Nylander found Auston Matthews in a crowd of four Isles with less than four minutes to play for the game-winner.
The see- saw game, which took the Leafs over the century mark to 101 points for the first time since 2003- 04, was not the playoff primer the club was talking about showing in its remaining five games, particularly in their own end, on the back check and on special teams. There have been too many four-ormore goal road games of late for coach Mike Babcock’s liking as well.
Mitch Marner did get two points to reach 69, the spot where Matthews l ed the Leafs last year, and James van Riemsdyk’s 36th goal in the third period gave Toronto a brief lead before Tavares added New York’s second power play goal.
Leafs goaltender Frederik Andersen, who tied the franchise high with his 37th win, and ex- Marlie Chris Gibson started well until allowing three goals in the final few minutes of the first period.
Jordan Eberle got hold of a puck below the goal- line and was able to wait out Leaf coverage until he saw Anthony Beauvillier cut through the crowd to make it 1-0. Babcock wasted his challenge on an iffy Eberle bump of his goalie well before the shot.
Anders Lee had barely sat down for a slashing call when Toronto controlled the faceoff and Marner hit Nazem Kadri cruising through the slot, with Gibson being more concerned about van Riemsdyk parked to his right.
Morgan Rielly tallied his 50th point of the year on the scoring play.
With Dom Moore going off for the Leafs, Toronto’s seventh- ranked penalty killers almost prevailed, but Isles defenceman Johnny Boychuck put a bazooka shell past Andersen.
Toronto survived a rare penalty to Matthews and tied it at even strength in the middle period, Nikita Zaitsev was credited with a goal on an attempted pass that he meant for Nylander’s stick, but the puck went in off Calder favourite Mathew Barzal’s instead. Marner was going off, too, when the Isles scored on the delayed call.
Toronto was left flat-footed as Brock Nelson finished some fine passing at high speed. Marner redeemed himself before the frame ended, getting to the net to tip home Jake Gardiner’s shot.
The Isles were officially eliminated from playoff contention earlier this week.