WILD WIN IN CHICAGO
Sparks gives up six, but high-octane Leafs pull out OT win,
Garret Sparks, the former Marlie getting his first start in the city where he was raised, tries to slam the door on Blackhawks centre Jonathan Toews from close range, with defenceman Morgan Rielly closing in during Sunday’s game in Chicago. Sparks stopped just 25 of 31 shots — but it was enough in a game that included three goals in the final 90 seconds of regulation, and was settled by Rielly’s winner in overtime.
Tavares hat trick was just the start, Rielly seals it
Talk about a madcap finish. John Tavares thought his third goal of the game was the winner. Then Patrick Kane tied it with 1:24 remaining in the third. Auston Matthews thought his second goal of the game was the winner at 1:02 of the third. Then Kane forced overtime with 29 seconds. But it was Morgan Rielly, just 19 seconds into OT, who won it for the Maple Leafs — 7-6 in Chicago. The Leafs (2-1-0) won their first road game. Both wins have been come-from-behind efforts, and determined in overtime.
About Toronto: Tavares scored three times. It was his ninth career hat trick. Matthews has goals in three straight games. Kasperi Kananen scored the other Leafs goal.
About Chicago: Jonathan Toews kept up his hot pace with his fifth goal of the season. Alex DeBrincat, John Hayden and Brandon Manning also scored for the Blackhawks.
Sparkling or flat: Goalie Garret Sparks earned his first victory in his first appearance at the United Center. He’s from Elmhurst, Ill., just outside Chicago and the Blackhawks were the team he cheered for as a kid. He was good in stretches, but six goals against doesn’t instil confidence. He was good when it mattered. Late in the second, Jake Gardiner gave the puck away, handing the Blackhawks a two-on-one with DeBrincat and Kane. Sparks made the save with just over a minute to go in the second period, preserving a one-goal lead. Sparks surrendered the first two goals, but neither was his fault: one was a tic-tac-toe play, the other a deflection.
Line juggling: The Leafs trailed 2-0 early until Kapanen scored on a breakaway. He’d been promoted to the Matthews line, in place of Tyler Ennis, and fed Matthews for a tying goal. Ennis had overskated a puck on a shift, ending a Leaf chance, and has not played up to the standard of a first-liner.
Starting from behind: The Maple Leafs have surrendered the first goal in all three games so far. This time, Toews deflected a Duncan Keith shot. The Leafs have allowed opponents to take the game to them early a bit too often. Last year, the Leafs scored first in 50 of 82 games.
Special teams: Andreas Johnsson drew a double minor for high sticking but the penal- ty-killing unit didn’t allow a shot on net. The Leafs — Kapanen again — managed a shot shorthanded and had better scoring chances … The Leafs were 1-for-2 on the power play, the Blackhawks 0-for-3.
Close calls: The refs called two goals that were really close, but got both right. Toews’s marker was reviewed for a high stick, and Travis Dermott swept away Hayden’s goal right at the red line — but not quite in time.
Marincin draws in: Leaf defenceman Martin Marincin saw his first action of the season, subbing for Igor Ozhiganov, who had no points and was minustwo in the first two games. Justin Holl and Frederik Gauthier remain the only Leafs who have yet to play this season.
Who’s next? The Leafs play in Dallas on Tuesday night.