Maple Leafs score two shorthanded goals, defeat Devils
The Toronto Maple Leafs scored two shorthanded goals to win their first game since acquiring defenseman Mark Giordano, 3-2 against the New Jersey Devils at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday.
Giordano, who was traded with forward Colin Blackwell by the Seattle Kraken on Sunday, did not score a point in 18:35 of ice time in his Toronto debut.
Pierre Engvall scored the go-ahead goal shorthanded at 15:18 of the third period when he shot past Nico Daws’ glove from the edge of the right face-off circle to make it 3-2.
Petr Mrazek made 20 saves for the Maple Leafs (40-18-5) in his first start since the 2022 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic on March 13. He backed up Erik Kallgren in each of Toronto’s previous three games and cleared waivers Monday.
Nico Hischier had a goal and an assist, and Daws made 28 saves for the Devils (23-36-5), who were playing the second of a back to back after a 7-4 win against the New York Rangers 7-4 on Tuesday.
Damon Severson scored on the power play at 5:03 of the second period when his attempted pass went off a sprawling Ilya Lyubushkin in the slot and between Mrazek’s pads to give New Jersey a 1-0 lead.
Ilya Mikheyev tied it 1-1 at 12:30 on a shorthanded breakaway.
Hischier gave the Devils a 2-1 lead at 13:56 when he jammed in a loose puck in the goal crease, but Mitchell Marner responded for the Maple Leafs 58 seconds later at 14:54 on a one-timer from Auston Matthews to make it 2-2.
How your Buds lineup for the #NextGenGame 👇 pic.twitter.com/RUMeMg9XrP
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) March 23, 2022
LEAFS WIN!!
LET’S FLIPPIN’ GO!!! #NextGenGame pic.twitter.com/Q1Dr5PWjsf
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) March 24, 2022
GAME WINNER!! ✨#LeafsForever | @Molson_Canadian pic.twitter.com/5mpNnHGuaZ
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) March 24, 2022
Got some family in attendance 💙💛 pic.twitter.com/ilY4Pz6uuy
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) March 24, 2022
Team Toronto Reppin' 🔵🦖 pic.twitter.com/ehPvwMJFUA
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) March 23, 2022
🥶🥶🥶 pic.twitter.com/PPKzMHvHAJ
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) March 23, 2022
Wait... do you see blue & black or white & gold? pic.twitter.com/xJTmRvEqpb
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) March 23, 2022
🔵🟡 Takeover Time 🟡🔵 pic.twitter.com/qBEtbFJG2R
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) March 23, 2022