Nylander has three points, Maple Leafs top Jets to extend streak to nine
Forward scores in fifth straight game; Andersen makes 45 saves for Toronto, on 8-0-1 run
via NHL.com
William Nylander scored two goals and had an assist, and the Toronto Maple Leafs extended their point streak to nine games with a 6-3 win against the Winnipeg Jets at Bell MTS Place on Thursday.
Nylander extended his goal streak to five games; he has eight goals and five assists in his past seven games.
“The first one was a great play by [Adam Brooks], forechecking the goalie and I just turned around and threw it at the net,” Nylander said. “I was a little blessed there that went in. And the second one was just a great pass from [Alexander Kerfoot] back door, just had to put it in.”
Frederik Andersen made 45 saves for the Maple Leafs (23-14-5), who are 8-0-1 in their streak and 10-1-1 in their past 12 games.
“I thought we did a really good job in the third [period],’ Andersen said. “We were really sharp early on and obviously made really good defensive plays. Obviously, it was a lot of shots but not a lot of danger, I think.”
Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele each had a goal and an assist for the Jets (22-16-3), who have lost six of their past eight games (2-5-1).
“I think we made a couple bad reads defensively,” Jets forward Patrik Laine said. “[With] that kind of talent, we didn’t give them too much, but gave them enough. They put up six [goals] and it’s hard to win when we give up six.
Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck allowed five goals on 17 shots. Laurent Brossoit replaced Hellebuyck to begin the third period, making 10 saves.
“They had 11 shots over halfway through the game, so that’s a pretty good number,” Jets captain Blake Wheeler said. “We had 30-something.”
They said it
“We probably gave up a little bit too much [more] than we would have liked in the first few minutes, but everyone stuck with it and cleaned it up and we controlled the play in their half of the ice which, especially with the lead, you want to do. No question, [Frederik Andersen] has been our backbone all year.” — Maple Leafs center John Tavares
“Connor and [Scheifele] have been going for a while and it’s only a matter of time for things to get going for Patrik [Laine] when he’s getting those looks.” — Jets coach Paul Maurice
Need to know
Connor has nine points (seven goals, two assists) in his past six games. … Tavares extends his point streak to six games (three goals, eight assists). … Scheifele has 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists) in his past 14 games. … Marner has 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists) in his past 12 games. … Laine has seven points (four goals, three assists) in his past six games. … Matthews has 15 points (eight goals, seven assists) in his past eight games.
What’s next
Maple Leafs: Host the New York Islanders on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; CBC, SN360, SNO, SNW, SNP, MSG+, NHL.TV)
Jets: At the Minnesota Wild on Saturday (2 p.m. ET; FS-N, FS-WI, TSN3, NHL.TV)
Grounded the Jets.
Check out tonight's @OntarioLottery Game Winning Numbers from Winnipeg. #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/pwoMBVOYL1
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) January 3, 2020
With his third period goal in tonight's game, William Nylander registered his 200th career NHL point. #LeafsForever
— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) January 3, 2020
The @MapleLeafs improved to 8-0-1 in their last nine games, their longest point streak since Feb. 15 – March 3, 2011 (6-0-3). #NHLStats pic.twitter.com/QSwuuMTgkF
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) January 3, 2020
Maple Leafs forward Adam Brooks has registered his first NHL point with an assist on William Nylander's first period goal. #LeafsForever
— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) January 3, 2020