Matthews, Marner lift Maple Leafs past Predators for 3rd win in row

Auston Matthews had two goals for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who scored three times in the third period to defeat the Nashville Predators 3-2 at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday.

Matthews has three goals and two assists in three games since returning from a nine-game absence because of an upper-body injury.

“I thought tonight was his best game,” Toronto coach Craig Berube said. “I know he scored but to me he had his legs more tonight. He had his legs better and skated better and capitalized on his opportunities he got which is important, that’s what he does. But overall, it’s coming, it’s coming.”

William Nylander scored and Mitch Marner had three assists to extend his point streak to eight games for the Maple Leafs (16-7-2), who have won three in a row and 10 of their past 12. Joseph Woll made 22 saves.

“They’re a good team defensively and I thought we did a good job staying patient throughout the game, kept to our structure and then obviously got a few big goals,” Woll said. “Auston was great for us getting those two goals and then a good job by us just shutting them down to the wire.”

Jonathan Marchessault and Mark Jankowski scored and Juuse Saros made 25 saves for the Predators (7-13-6), who are 0-2-3 in their past five.

“I think it was disappointing, especially the start of the third period,” Nashville coach Andrew Brunette said. “That was kind of the message, first one to break, it was one of those tight checking games and it was going to be the team that made a few mistakes. We came out in the third right away early and turned some pucks over and they scored. Kind of a similar story and I think it’s obviously frustrating and disappointing at the same time. Disappointing that we broke there in the third.”

The Predators went up 1-0 at 5:26 of the first period. Marchessault shot the puck into the Maple Leafs zone from the redline where it ricocheted off the end boards and landed in the goal crease. Marchessault followed the puck into the zone and jammed it in after Woll lost sight of it. The goal was his 500th NHL point (235 goals, 265 assists).

“I was kind of laughing, not really sure what to do because I didn’t really see it,” Woll said. “Bad bounces happen and I’d rather laugh it off than being sour about it.”

Toronto outshot Nashville 18-12 through two periods.

“I thought we defended well in the game and that’s a very important part of our identity is playing good defense and defending and you’ve got to be patient,” Berube said. “You can’t force things and I thought we didn’t do that. In the third, we got a little bit more mojo going and attacked a little bit more and created some more opportunities.”

Matthews tied it 1-1 31 seconds into the third period when he redirected a pass at the top of the goal crease from Marner.

“Mitch and Auston kind of took over there and made a great play and got us going,” Nylander said.

The Maple Leafs went up 2-1 at 2:29 when Matthews took a drop pass from Marner, deked Gustav Nyquist in the slot and put it between Saros’ pads.

“I pulled it in really tight and it kind of came out hot,” Matthews said. “He looked to poke check so I just tried to leave it and fortunately I guessed right and he guessed wrong and I was just fortunate it went in.”

Nylander made it 3-1 at 5:06 when he one-timed a no-look backhand pass from Matthew Knies past Saros’ blocker on a 5-on-3 power play.

“I think we stuck with it for the most part,” Nylander said. “Felt like getting some chances but a little bit on the outside but the third period, we kind put some more on the gas and put some in the net.”

Woll kept it 3-1 at 6:04 when he stopped Colton Sissons on a breakaway.

The Predators cut it to 3-2 at 16:38 when Jankowski backhanded in a rebound just below the left hashmarks.

“I think that’s the story of this year a little bit,” Marchessault said. “I think we just let teams linger and are just satisfied to be one up and we just hold and stop creating chances and when you do that, in the NHL, there’s too many good teams in the League to let them linger. You have to put teams away and it’s another one that slipped through our hands.”

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