Marner gets shootout winner as Leafs topple Stars

TORONTO » Mitch Marner scored the winner in the shootout to lift Toronto to a 6-5 victory over the Dallas Stars Wednesday night, extending the Maple Leafs’ franchise-record home winning streak to 11 games.

Marner beat Kari Lehtonen in the third round of the shootout, completing Toronto’s comebacks from 4-2 and 5-4 deficits in the third period.

James van Riemsdyk had his third career hat trick, and Nazem Kadri and Patrick Marleau also scored in regulation for the Maple Leafs. Frederik Andersen allowed three goals on 20 shots before getting lifted just past the game’s midway point with an upper-body injury. Curtis McElhinney came on and stopped 13 shots — including two big saves on Jamie Benn during a power play in overtime — the rest of the way to help Toronto improve to 3-2-2 overall since star center Auston Matthews went down with a shoulder injury on Feb. 22.

Tyler Bozak, who also scored in the shootout, and Marner each added two assists to keep the Maple Leafs perfect at home since losing to Colorado on Jan. 22.

Wild lose Spurgeon for at least a month

ST. PAUL, MINN. » Minnesota Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon will miss a minimum of four weeks due to a partial tear of his right hamstring, a big blow to a team trying to maintain control of a playoff spot.

The Wild announced the news after Spurgeon was hurt Tuesday. Spurgeon likely would miss some postseason games if the Wild, currently in third place in the Central Division, make it there.