Marner point streak hits 17, Maple Leafs defeat Red Wings
Mitchell Marner extended his point streak to 17 games and the Toronto Maple Leafs won their fourth straight game, 4-2 against the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena on Monday.
Marner’s second-period goal moved him within one game of the Maple Leafs record shared by Darryl Sittler (1977-78) and Ed Olczyk (1989-90). Marner has 23 points (six goals, 17 assists) in the streak.
“It’s a cool thing, but I know you never achieve anything in this game on your own,” Marner said.
Auston Matthews and Rasmus Sandin each had a goal and an assist for Toronto (14-5-5), which has a point in nine straight games (7-0-2). Matt Murray made 42 saves for the Maple Leafs, who finished off perfect four-game road trip.
“This was our best game of the trip,” Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said. “Our goaltender was outstanding, just like he’s been all trip. The way he’s playing, if he sees it, he’s stopping it.”
Moritz Seider had a goal and an assist for Detroit (11-6-4), which had its four-game winning streak end on a night where they outshot Toronto 43-25.
“We had a lot of chances, but we just didn’t put the puck in the net,” Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin said. “Give them credit, especially Murray, but we had looks in the slot and all around it. We just didn’t capitalize.”
Ville Husso allowed four goals on 13 shots before being pulled midway through the second period, the first time coach Derek Lalonde has changed goalies during a game this season. Alex Nedeljkovic made 12 saves in relief.
“I’m sure [Husso] would probably want three of those four goals back, but we put him in a tough spot,” Lalonde said. “We didn’t give up a shot until halfway through the first period, but that was a 3-on-1 with Auston Matthews in the slot, and then we take a penalty.”
Seider gave the Red Wings a 1-0 lead at 4:45 of the first period. Murray made the initial save on Dominik Kubalik’s shot but couldn’t find the puck. With players from both teams hacking at the puck in the crease, Seider finally got it over the line.
Matthews tied the game at 8:24, ripping a wrist shot past Husso from the top of the slot for his 11th goal. and William Nylander made it 2-1 with a power-play goal at 9:15.
Marner made it 3-1 with a shot that trickled through Husso’s legs 52 seconds into the second period.
Sandin’s high shot beat Husso to give Toronto a 4-1 lead at 8:37, bringing Nedeljkovic off the bench. Husso was 7-1-2 in his previous 10 games.
“You never want to see your goalie get pulled, but [Husso] would be the first one to say he would wanted a couple of those back,” Larkin said. “He said that to us, but we know we’ve been relying on him a lot lately.”
Adam Erne tipped in Seider’s shot at 12:41 of the third period to pull Detroit within 4-2.
How your Buds lineup tonight pic.twitter.com/36LEkLAeMN
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) November 28, 2022
LEAFS WWWWWWWWWWWWWWIN!!@LGCanada | #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/QndbTfTFnH
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) November 29, 2022
PAPSTAR 🔥@Molson_Canadian | #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/FTxu6HLuwe
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) November 29, 2022
Maple Leafs D Mac Hollowell has recorded his first NHL point with an assist on Auston Matthews' first period goal in Detroit.
— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) November 29, 2022
John Tavares’ first period assist was his 300th point as a Maple Leaf.
He’s the 40th player in franchise history to reach the 300-point mark.
— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) November 29, 2022
Mitch Marner now sits one game shy of the longest point streak in @MapleLeafs history, behind Darryl Sittler (18 GP in 1977-78) and Eddie Olczyk (18 GP in 1989-90). #NHLStats: https://t.co/e88fJ4DWJd https://t.co/GSwL0jXuxK
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) November 29, 2022