Late penalty lifts Leafs past Blackhawks
CHICAGO: William Nylander won the game with a penalty shot six seconds into overtime on Wednesday night as the Toronto Maple Leafs stopped the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 at the United Center in Chicago.
Duncan Keith slashed Nylander from behind on a breakaway off the face-off to set up the dramatic ending.
Nylander skated down the middle of the ice and lofted a backhander over goaltender Jeff Glass’ blocker for his 10th goal of the season.
Chicago forced overtime when Nick Schmaltz potted his 13th goal on the man advantage at 7:55 minutes of the third period. Schmaltz’s rebound tally from the right post survived a replay review for goaltender interference.
The Blackhawks took the lead at 5:29 minutes of the first period with their first power-play goal in 17 chances and six games. Defenceman Brent Seabrook’s one-timer from the right circle deflected off Leo Komarov’s stick and past goaltender Frederiw k Andersen for his third goal of the season.
Seabrook was also involved in Toronto’s goal, and not in a good way. Assuming that the linesman would call icing on a puck that Patrick Marleau shot in from behind the centre line, Seabrook idly flipped the puck into the corner.
However, the whistle never sounded, and the Maple Leafs generated pressure. The play ended when Jake Gardiner’s shot from the left circle hit Mitchell Marner in the torso and found the net for Marner’s seventh goal of the season at 16:37 minutes of the first period.
Toronto were outshot 17-11 in the opening period but gained a slight territorial advantage in the second with an 11-7 edge in shots on goal.
The Maple Leafs grabbed a 2-1 lead at 4:58 minutes of the third period on the power play when Nazem Kadri scored just his second goal in 21 games. Tyler Bozak set him up at the right post, and the unmarked Kadri only had to chip the puck into a halfempty net for his 15th marker of the season.
Andersen came up with 34 saves in the win. Glass stopped 33 shots.
In Calgary, Tanner Pearson scored with 27 seconds left in overtime, and back-up goalie Darcy Kuemper made 30 saves to give the Los Angeles Kings a 2-1 victory over the Calgary Flames.
Drew Doughty f aked a slap shot during the three-on-three play before he passed across to Pearson, who tallied the winner with a quick shot at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
It was the third consecutive game in which the Flames held a 1-0 lead and lost in extra time. However, Calgary is riding a 10-game point streak (7-0-3).
Calgary’s Sean Monahan opened the scoring with 5:57 minutes left in the first period by finishing a pretty passing play.
After Micheal Ferland dropped the puck between his legs in the slot, Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau executed a textbook giveand-go before Monahan potted his 22nd goal of the season.