Matthews scores 30th goal in OT, Maple Leafs rally past Ducks
Auston Matthews scored his 30th goal of the season at 2:12 of overtime, and the Toronto Maple Leafs overcame 55 saves from Lukas Dostal in a 2-1 win against the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center on Wednesday.
Matthews scored on a one-timer from the right circle off a feed from Mitchell Marner. He has scored at least 30 goals in each of his first eight NHL seasons.
John Tavares tied it with a power-play goal in the third period, and Martin Jones made 27 saves while starting for the second straight night for the Maple Leafs (19-10-7), who won 3-0 at the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday to end a three-game skid (0-2-1).
Frank Vatrano scored short-handed for the Ducks (13-23-1), who are 1-4-1 on their eight-game homestand.
Dostal’s 55 save set a franchise record.
Tavares ended Dostal’s shutout on Toronto’s fifth power play to tie it 1-1 at 14:17 of the third, scoring on a rebound of William Nylander’s shot from in front of the crease.
The Maple Leafs outshot the Ducks 22-7 in the third.
Vatrano gave Anaheim a 1-0 lead at 11:41 of the second period while Ducks forward Alex Killorn was in the penalty box serving a roughing penalty. Vatrano received a centering pass from Mason McTavish in front of the crease and had time to fake a shot before lifting the puck into the net with a backhand for his team-leading 18th goal of the season.
Dostal made 18 saves in the scoreless first period, including one on a breakaway by Nylander at 17:48.
Anaheim defenseman Ilya Lybushkin also denied Matthews a goal in the first when he stuck out his stick and knocked the puck away just before it crossed the goal line at 3:42.
The Lines@Molson_Canadian | #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/aGXPfG0FC5
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) January 4, 2024
JOHNNY T TIES IT!! pic.twitter.com/0cB57N42c0
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) January 4, 2024
TONE CALLED GAME!! pic.twitter.com/GfWw9qc49J
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) January 4, 2024
LEAFS WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWIN!!!@LGCanada | #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/twr0PUuQLk
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) January 4, 2024
✅ 30th goal of the season
✅ Overtime winner
✅ Two points for the @MapleLeafsIt was quite the night for @AM34. #NHLStats: https://t.co/oU0XllJq7R pic.twitter.com/6EY7hDUYRd
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) January 4, 2024
Benny & the belt pic.twitter.com/bJv85DOxwo
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) January 4, 2024