Maple Leafs defeat Ducks for seventh straight road win
Jack Campbell made 39 saves for the Toronto Maple Leafs in their seventh straight road win, 5-1 against the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center on Sunday.
Michael Bunting, Alexander Kerfoot and William Nylander each had a goal and assist for the Maple Leafs (16-6-1), who have won seven straight road games in their history three other times, most recently from Jan. 29 to Feb. 22, 2003.
Toronto also defeated the Los Angeles Kings 6-2 on Wednesday and the San Jose Sharks 4-1 on Friday, marking the third time in team history it won against the three NHL California teams on the same road trip.
The Maple Leafs, who have won nine of 10, can set the record for their longest road winning streak at the Minnesota Wild on Saturday. It was their 12th victory in November, the most in any calendar month in their history.
“Anytime you are winning in good stretches like this, it’s a lot of fun,” Kerfoot said. “Lots of energy coming to the rink every day and we’re playing good hockey, so we’ve just got to keep it up.”
Hampus Lindholm scored, and John Gibson made 26 saves for the Ducks (11-8-3), who have lost four of five.
“We’re learning the lessons of how to win, and we’ve taken great strides this year, but tonight against an elite team like this, it goes to show you that the details of the game, not turning over pucks, changing at the right time, are critical to winning,” Anaheim coach Dallas Eakins said. “You cannot let your foot off the gas, or be disinterested in the details, or you’re going to get stung.”
Auston Matthews scored his 10th goal of the season when he tipped in a point shot from TJ Brodie at 7:48 of the second period to give the Maple Leafs a 1-0 lead.
Bunting made it 2-0 at 11:03 off a pass from Mitchell Marner during a 3-on-1 rush.
Campbell made 14 saves in the first.
“I thought Anaheim was definitely the better team in that first period, and we were able to regroup and find our game in the second,” Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe said. “Anaheim really made it hard in the first period for us to get through the neutral zone.”
Kerfoot scored 13 seconds into the third off a backhand feed from Nylander to make it 3-0.
Campbell lost his shutout at 7:26 of the third when Lindholm scored on his own rebound to make it 3-1.
“It’s hard when you get behind a team like this because they’re kind of just waiting there for those opportunities and when they get them, they usually score,” Lindholm said. “If we can get going a little bit earlier, I think it would have been a much easier game tonight.”
Nylander gave Toronto a 4-1 lead with an empty-net goal at 16:53, and Wayne Simmonds scored at 17:08 with Gibson back in goal for the 5-1 final.
“Everybody is doing the game plan and also some more,” Campbell said. “Sacrificing their bodies, just committing to their roles and playing super hard for 60-plus minutes.”
Clifford makes his return! #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/caXNuzmHqz
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) November 29, 2021
Papi stays hot 🔥⭐️#LeafsForever | @Molson_Canadian pic.twitter.com/PId03EcR0c
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) November 29, 2021
Jack Campbell is the first Leafs goalie to post a sub 1.30 GAA in a calendar month since Harry Lumley in November 1953 pic.twitter.com/3EV16OGYf8
— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) November 29, 2021
The @MapleLeafs improved to 7-0-0 in their last seven games as visitors and matched the franchise record for longest road winning streak.#NHLStats: https://t.co/Ns8AAN0RdS pic.twitter.com/A0yGaxU21M
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) November 29, 2021
1️⃣2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣!!
Congratulations on the milestone, Spezz 👏 #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/Nr7jYrGFpP
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) November 29, 2021