Canucks defeat Maple Leafs in OT in return from COVID-19 pause
The Vancouver Canucks returned from an 18-day pause due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the team and defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 in overtime at Rogers Arena on Sunday.
Bo Horvat won it at 1:19 with his second goal, capping Vancouver’s rally from down two goals in its first game since March 24.
The Canucks had 22 players and four staff members test positive for the coronavirus. Defenseman Nate Schmidt and forward Jake Virtanen came off the NHL COVID-19 protocol list Sunday as the last two Vancouver players on it, but neither played against Toronto.
Braden Holtby made 37 saves for the Canucks (17-18-3), who were coming off a six-day break when positive COVID-19 tests forced the postponement of their March 31 game and eight more after that.
Holtby made a poke-check and barrel-roll save against Wayne Simmonds at 10:55 of the third period, and Nils Hoglander tied it 2-2 at 12:03 on a backdoor pass from defenseman Jalen Chatfield.
It was Chatfield’s first NHL point in his 11th game.
Auston Matthews and William Nylander each scored in his return to the lineup, and Jack Campbell made 21 saves for the Maple Leafs (28-12-5), who have lost four in a row (0-2-2).
Toronto is in first place in the seven-team Scotia North Division, four points ahead of the Winnipeg Jets. Vancouver is sixth, 10 points behind the fourth-place Montreal Canadiens with four games in hand. The top four teams will qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The teams will play again here Tuesday.
Nylander returned after missing five games in NHL COVID-19 protocol and scored off the rush 3:45 into the first period to put Toronto ahead 1-0.
Toronto lost forward Zach Hyman at 10:06 of the second period after a knee-on-knee hit by defenseman Alexander Edler, who was given a major penalty for kneeing and a game misconduct.
Matthews, back after missing one game with a wrist injury, scored his NHL-leading 33rd goal off the rush with 19 seconds left in the major penalty to make it 2-0 at 14:57.
Horvat scored on breakaway at 16:23 to make it 2-1.
Tonight’s Leafs lines in Vancouver.#LeafsForever | @bochnereye pic.twitter.com/U1kvh5oevR
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) April 18, 2021
🚨1⃣0⃣0⃣🚨 @wmnylander 👏 #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/h402umNzb3
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) April 18, 2021
William Nylander's first period goal is the 100th goal of his NHL career. #LeafsForever
— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) April 18, 2021
Zach Hyman (knee) will not return tonight vs Vancouver.
— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) April 19, 2021