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 Center Tyler Bozak scored his second goal of the game at 1:51 of
the extra session to give Toronto (33-23-8) the 3-2 win and move it
into sole possession of third place in the Atlantic Division with 74
points.
Right winger Phil Kessel and defenseman Paul Ranger picked up the
assists on Bozak's 14th goal of the season, a point-blank wrist shot
from the slot.
The Maple Leafs entered the game one point behind Tampa Bay. The top
three teams in the division qualify for the postseason.
New York (33-27-3) picked up one point in the loss, moving them into
third place in the Metropolitan Division with 70 points, one point
ahead of Columbus.
The Rangers scored two shorthanded goals 1:19 apart in the third
period to tie the score at 2-2. Center Dominic Moore delivered the
tying goal at 6:53, scoring his fifth goal on a two-on-one with
center Derek Stefan at 6:53.
Moore and center Brian Boyle assisted on defenseman Ryan McDonagh's
10th goal at 5:34 that banked off Toronto defenseman Dion Phaneuf's
skate.
Toronto allowed two short-handed goals for the second time in less
than a week. The Islanders turned the trick on Feb. 27.
"The last 20 games are going to be crucial," said Bozak. "It's
pretty close between every team so it's huge to get two points on
the road."
A third-period goal from center Nazem Kadri gave the Maple Leafs a
2-0 lead. Kadri was unchecked to the right of the Rangers goal and
was able to poke in left wing Nikolai Kulemin's rebound for his 16th
goal of the season at the 2:00 mark.
Bozak gave the Maple Leafs a 1-0 advantage on a penalty shot just
1:44 into the second period. The Toronto center fired a snap shot
through goalie Henrik Lundqvist's pads for his 13th goal of the
season. New York defenseman John Moore was called for hooking Bozak
that led to Toronto's third penalty shot of the season.
"I just kind of come in and take a look," Bozak explained of his
penalty-shot approach. "I look to shoot instead of deke most of the
time. I just thought I saw an opening.
The Maple Leafs win overshadowed the Rangers debut of Martin St.
Louis. The 5-8, 180-pound right wing was acquired just before
Wednesday's 3 p.m. trade deadline from Tampa Bay for forward Ryan
Callahan and two draft choices — a second-round pick in the 2014
NHL Entry Draft and a first-round pick in 2015.
Callahan, the Rangers captain, scored 11 goals and registered 14
assists in 45 games this season. New York will likely go without a
captain for the remainder of the season.
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St. Louis skated on the second line with center Brad Richards and
left winger Carl Hagelin. He took three shots on goal, including the
Rangers first, a wrist shot barely a minute into the contest, in
20:11 of ice time — the most of any Rangers forward in the game.
St. Louis' line combined for five of the Rangers 12 shots on goal in
a scoreless first period with St. Louis seeing action on New York's
first power-play unit.
"We felt good at times," said Hagelin. "We might have made too many
passes at times, but it was the first game and it's a long 24 hours
for him (St. Louis) being in St. Louis last night, then Tampa, then
up here today."
The 38-year-old St. Louis won the Hart and Art Ross trophies in 2004
and claimed the Art Ross again in 2013. He entered play Wednesday
tied for eighth in the league with 61 points (29 goals). He has 973
points in 1,041 games, including four 90-point seasons.
He has accumulated 388 points in 351 games since the start of the
2009-10 season, which is the most points in the NHL. St. Louis has
one year remaining on his contract worth $5.625 million.
"There were a lot emotions today," St. Louis admitted. "I was
blessed to play in one place for 14 years. I'll cherish those years.
"But I always felt if I was going to leave Tampa, the first place
I'd want to play would be in New York. I know this is going to be a
challenge for me, but I love challenges and I like to rise to the
occasion and be put in that position."
NOTES: Toronto plays six of its next seven games on the road. ...
The Rangers play seven of their next nine away from Madison Square
Garden. ... New York acquired D Raphael Diaz from Vancouver for a
fifth-round draft pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. Diaz, 28, has
recorded one goal and 12 assists in 52 games with Vancouver and
Montreal this season. ... Heading into Wednesday, the Maple Leafs
lead the NHL in hits with 2,068 and are fourth in fighting majors
with 36. ... Toronto recalled C Peter Holland and RW Carter Ashton
from the Toronto Marlies of the AHL.
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