Andersen helps Maple Leafs top Flyers

Frederik Andersen made 36 saves, Tyler Bozak had a goal and an assist and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-2 on Thursday night.

William Nylander, Mitch Marner and Nazem Kadri also scored for the Leafs (30-22-14), who have won two straight after dropping five in a row.

Philadelphia (31-27-8) had won three of four. Wayne Simmonds and Shayne Gostisbehere scored for the Flyers, and Michal Neuvirth made 29 saves.

Prior to the game, Leafs coach Mike Babcock was asked what concerned him most about the rival Flyers. He replied: “I don’t like to be on the penalty kill against them. I think their power play is good.”

Sure enough, the Flyers opening the scoring with Simmonds’ 14th powerplay goal this season, tying him with teammate Brayden Schenn for the NHL lead. The rugged forward planted himself in front of Andersen and redirected a Gostisbehere point shot into the net at 6:09 of the first.

Simmonds trails only Alex Ovechkin in powerplay goals since 2011, totaling 73 over that span. He has 28 goals overall this season.

Philadelphia controlled most of the first period, but Toronto responded when Nylander beat Neuvirth from the right faceoff circle with 6:03 left.

It was the 18th goal of the year for the 20-year-old Nylander, who equaled a franchise rookie record with his ninth power-play goal of the season. He leads Toronto and all NHL rookies with 21 power-play points.

Toronto came on stronger in the middle frame, generating scoring chances and offensive zone pressure at even-strength that was lacking in the first. The Maple Leafs grabbed the lead when Bozak stole the puck from Sean Couturier along the boards before wheeling through the slot and beating Neuvirth at 9:28.

Bozak, who has 16 goals and 45 points this season, was a game-time decision — perhaps bothered by a finger injury that forced him out of one game late last month.

Toronto, which outshot Philadelphia 14-11 in the second, came into the night with a 23-1-9 record when leading after 40 minutes. It narrowly escaped with a 3-2 win over Detroit on Tuesday after racing out to a 3-0 lead.

Marner gave the Leafs a 3-1 lead with a power-play goal at 13:44. After Gostisbehere got the Flyers within one, Kadri got an empty-netter with a minute left.