Andersen keeps Maple Leafs on playoff track
TORONTO 3 NASHVILLE 1
NASHVILLE — Frederik Andersen proved he’s feeling just fine after missing nearly two games with an upper-body injury.
The Maple Leafs goaltender made 29 saves, helping Toronto beat the Nashville Predators 3-1 on Thursday night.
Andersen appeared to be hurt last weekend in a collision with Sabres forward William Carrier during a loss at Buffalo. Andersen missed the final two periods of that game and sat out Tuesday night’s win over Florida.
He couldn’t have looked much sharper against Nashville, and the Maple Leafs needed every save as the Predators outshot them 30-17.
“I don’t think anybody was too worried here about him,” Toronto rookie forward Auston Matthews said. “He’s been our guy all year. He’s been solid for us, and obviously tonight he was a brick wall out there. He made all of our big saves. He kept us in the game at times when they had momentum.”
Matthews and James van Riemsdyk each scored a powerplay goal, with Matthews getting his seventh game-winner.
Connor Brown added an empty-net goal with 58.4 seconds left as the Maple Leafs started a three-game road trip by sweeping the season series with Nashville. They also won their second straight and fifth in six games to remain in third place in the Atlantic Division.
“We got the result that we wanted,” centre Mitchell Marner said.
Filip Forsberg scored his 30th of the season for Nashville. The Predators have lost two straight after a four-game winning streak.
Toronto is trying to hold off Boston, while the Predators needed a win to leapfrog St. Louis into third place in the Central Division. Nashville came in three points shy of its third straight playoff berth under coach Peter Laviolette.
“Our goal is to move forward and qualify for the playoffs, so we’re not there,” Laviolette said. “We’ve got work to do.”
It was the 1,000th game behind the bench for Laviolette, making him the 28th coach overall and just the second born in the United States to reach that mark in the NHL.
Canadiens 6, Panthers 2
MONTREAL — Paul Byron had two goals and Brendan Gallagher scored and added three assists as the Montreal Canadiens defeated the visiting Florida Panthers 6-2 on Thursday to clinch a playoff spot with five games remaining in their regular season.
Tomas Plekanec, Max Pacioretty and Phillip Danault also scored for Montreal (44-24-9). Carey Price made 29 saves for his 36th victory of the season.
The Canadiens will play in the post-season for the fourth time in the past five years, and for the eighth time in the last decade.
Reilly Smith and Michael Matheson scored for the Panthers (33-33-11). Reto Berra, replacing injured goalies James Reimer (upper body) and Roberto Luongo (lower body), stopped 26-of-32 shots in defeat.
Oilers 3, Sharks 2
EDMONTON — Patrick Maroon scored a pair of goals as the Edmonton Oilers took over sole possession of second place in the Pacific Division with a 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Thursday.
Connor McDavid also scored for the Oilers (43-25-9), who have won four in a row and eight of their last nine games. Edmonton is one point back of Anaheim for first in the Pacific.
Jannik Hansen and Joe Pavelski responded for the Sharks (43-27-7), who have lost seven of their last eight and now sit third in the Pacific.
San Jose didn’t take long to get on the scoreboard, as Hansen chipped a rebound over Oilers goalie Cam Talbot just 61 seconds into the game.