Tavares gets 300th NHL goal, Maple Leafs hold off Devils
John Tavares scored his 300th NHL goal for the Toronto Maple Leafs in a 4-2 win against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on Thursday.
Tavares, who had two goals and an assist, reached the milestone when he gathered a rebound and scored into an open net with a backhand to make it 2-0 at 7:21 of the first period. He extended the lead to 3-0 at 19:53 on a one-timer from the right circle.
Mitchell Marner had a goal and an assist, Ron Hainsey scored and Michael Hutchinson made 27 saves for Toronto (28-13-2), which won all three games against the Devils this season.
Blake Coleman and Brian Boyle scored, and Keith Kinkaid made 39 saves for New Jersey (16-20-7), which has lost three in a row.
Coleman scored with a backhand off a rebound in front to make it 3-1 at 16:07 of the second period, and Boyle scored 26 seconds later on a rush off a turnover by Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Gardiner to cut it to 3-2.
Marner scored into an empty net to make it 4-2 at 19:38 of the third period.
Hainsey gave the Maple Leafs a 1-0 lead at 4:30 of the first period with a slap shot from the left point during a 4-on-4.
Downed the Devils and swept the season series.
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💯 💯 💯
Congratulations on scoring your 300th career @NHL goal, @91Tavares! #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/og1u4As9bm
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) January 11, 2019
Last chance to make Mo the Last Man In.
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Bringing out the blues on the road. #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/Qa4HvTnYws
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