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 Bobrovsky, last season's Vezina Trophy winner as the NHL's top goalie, had 23 saves.
Brandon Dubinsky added a short-handed goal, Nick Foligno also scored, Ryan Johansen had an empty-netter, and rookie defenseman Ryan Murray notched his first career goal for the Blue Jackets, who have won three in a row since losing four straight. Dubinsky and Foligno each also had an assist.
Phil Kessel and Dave Bolland had goals for the Maple Leafs, who made only their fifth trip to Columbus in the Blue Jackets' 13 seasons.
It was the first time the Blue Jackets scored more than four goals in a game this season.
The Blue Jackets took a 2-1 lead 3:12 into the third period. Foligno won a battle for the puck with Bolland on the back wall, then fed Gaborik for a quick shot that beat goalie Jonathan Bernier on the stick side and just inside the near post. It was Gaborik's fifth goal of the season.
Shortly after, Gaborik went off for holding -- yet the Blue Jackets ended up getting the best scoring chance on the Toronto power play. Artem Anisimov had a short-handed breakaway but Bernier stymied him with his pads. Bernier had 31 saves.
With Toronto on a 4-on-3 power play, Dubinsky's wrister from the right dot at 12:27 gave the Blue Jackets a two-goal edge.
The Leafs made things interesting, though. Bolland got to a rebound off a shot by Paul Ranger and whisked the puck around Bobrovsky with 4:30 left.
Toronto pressed after that, fighting for the tying goal. Bobrovsky made a couple of timely stops, but Bolland was called for tripping, and the tide swung.
Johansen scored an empty-net goal with 26 seconds left after the penalty had expired. Foligno made it 5-2 with 6.5 seconds remaining.
David Clarkson, an offseason free-agent signing, made his Maple Leafs debut after being suspended for the first 10 games for leaving the bench to join a fight during a preseason game against Buffalo.
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Bobrovsky improved to 14-5-5 at Nationwide Arena.
The Maple Leafs swarmed the first 4 minutes and would have had a quick lead except Bobrovsky stymied Nazem Kadri on a wraparound and then gloved a hard shot by Kessel after a turnover.
The last 16 minutes belonged to the Blue Jackets, however. They took control after Clarkson was sent off for hooking. With Murray getting power-play time, James Wisniewski blistered a shot from the top of the left circle that R.J. Umberger tried to redirect. The puck glanced off defenseman Paul Ranger and to the post with Murray closing fast from the wing to jam it at 4:55.
Murray played in his 10th game, triggering the first year of his entry-level contract.
Just 40 seconds into the second period, Kessel scored his sixth of the season off a nifty feed from Tyler Bozak. James van Reimsdyk's blast from the right wing was partially gloved by Bobrovsky but the puck fell out. Bozak controlled it at the right doorstep and then slid a pass through the crease.
Columbus defenseman David Savard had the first chance at the puck but Kessel muscled around him to jam it into an empty net.
Gaborik's goal then set the stage for the wild finish.
NOTES: Toronto LW Joffrey Lupul didn't play after sustaining a bone bruise when he was struck by a shot Thursday during practice. ... Columbus played its third of a four-game homestand. It had won the first two games by a combined score of 7-2. ... The Maple Leafs' four losses this season have come to franchises that begin with the letter C: Colorado, Carolina, Chicago and Columbus. ... The Blue Jackets have scored a power-play goal in seven of their first 10 games. ... The last time the Blue Jackets beat the Leafs was Dec. 30, 2010, in Toronto, by a 3-2 score.
[Associated
Press; By RUSTY MILLER]
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