Johnsson nets first as offence clicks on home ice
Toronto broke the game open with four goals in the second period, including a Morgan Rielly floater from the blue line that New Jersey goalie Keith Kinkaid never saw, en route to a 6-1 victory at Scotiabank Arena.
Andreas Johnsson notched his first goal of the year, while Nazem Kadri and Connor Brown, with his second goal in as many games, had the other goals in the middle frame. John Tavares and Tyler Ennis, with a great forecheck effort in the third, had the other goals for the Leafs, who have evened their home record at 5-5.
Offensive stars: Johnsson was rewarded after missing on a breakaway and a close in chance on a two-on-one … Patrick Marleau drew the assist on Kadri’s second-period goal; it was Marleau’s 600th career assist, and he becomes the 88th player in NHL history to reach that plateau. Marleau also has four points in his last four games now …Ron Hainsey picked up a pair of assists and has four helpers in his last six games. Defensive stars: The Leafs were full marks for support in their own zone. They were pressed hard in the second, with the Devils, outshot 15-7 in the first, coming back with a 16-12 advantage in the second. Goalie Frederik Andersen was huge once again, and has now won his last three games. His November save percentage is a sterling .971 in four November games … The Leafs’ penalty kill has not allowed a goal in five straight games now.
Turning Point: Kadri and Brown scored just 3:55 apart early in the second to send the Devils to their seventh loss in eight games.
Talking Point: Is Kadri heating up? It sure looks that way. In his last seven games, Kadri has scored five goals on 15 shots. His first nine games: no goals, 16 shots. Takeaways: Rielly will likely get chirped for his fluky goal, but he is on pace for 85-plus points. He reached a career high in points last season with 52 … The Leafs have now scored first, and in the first period, for three consecutive games now. They are 5-0 when scoring first … The Leafs’ power play has three goals in 24 chances over the last eight games.
They said it: “I’d like to think we’re really focused here today (Friday).” — Leafs coach Mike Babcock, commenting on his team focusing on the game against the Devils and not looking ahead to Saturday’s game in Boston against a Bruins team that dispatched them in the first round last spring.
Up next: The Leafs caught a charter flight immediately after Friday’s game for a meeting with the Bruins Saturday in Boston.