|
 The way they have picked up their game, they could be forgiven if
they wanted to save the days off for another time.
With center Nazem Kadri scoring the decisive goal in a shootout
Tuesday, the Maple Leafs defeated the New Jersey Devils 3-2.
It was the second win in a row for the Maple Leafs (10-13-5).
"Obviously you'd like to play every second or third day, but what
are you going to do?" Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock said.
The story was slightly different from the other side.
"There are going to be times when you play great and find ways to
win and there are going to be times you hit some adversity," Devils
coach John Hynes said. "We have some injuries here, we've hit some
adversity and we've had a tough schedule. I think we should be
really happy with the group, our
competiveness, our grit, our character."
The Devils injury list lengthened when center Adam Henrique left the
game in the second period with a lower body injury.
Right winger Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau and left winger James van
Riemsdyk scored for the Maple Leafs.
"With this many days off in a row, you want to go in one a winning
note, definitely," van Riemsdyk said. "It's nice for us to get the
win, we'll take the two points and we'll look to use this week to
get better so next Tuesday we're raring to go."
Right winger Lee Stempniak and center Kyle Palmieri scored for the
Devils (14-10-4).
New Jersey goaltender Cory Schneider made 35 saves while Maple Leafs
rookie Garret Sparks stopped 25 shots.
"He's got a certain swagger about him and confidence about him,"
Babcock said. "And he's a big guy. It looks to me like he has a
chance to be a real (good) goalie."
"Sparksy's been real consistent for us," defenseman Dion Phaneuf
said. "He made some big saves again to keep us in the game and I
can't say enough good things about Sparksy. He doesn't like to let
the puck go past him. I know from talking with him he's a
competitor, he competes on every shot."
The game was tied 1-1 after the first period and 2-2 after the
second.
The Devils went on the power play at 16:13 of the third period when
Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly was assessed a tripping
penalty.
The Devils controlled the puck in the Maple Leafs' zone for most of
the two minutes but could not break through and the game went to
overtime.
Toronto right winger Michael Grabner failed to convert the best
chance of the overtime and it was left to the shootout.
[to top of second column] |
Each team had a shootout goal from its third shooter with center
Tyler Bozak scoring for Toronto and left winger Mike Cammalleri for
New Jersey.
Kadri was Toronto's fifth shooter.
"I think we need to correct some things," Cammalleri said. "The
point's good but five-on-five we played too much in our own end. Our
power play scored two big goals to give us the point. We've worked
hard on it, we have confidence in it. But we can't rely on it. We
have to rely on our
five-on-five play."
The Devils took the lead at 1:24 of the first period when Stempniak
scored his seventh goal of the season on a deflection of defenseman
John Moore's point shot. It came after Maple Leafs defenseman Roman
Polak was called for crosschecking 39 seconds into the game.
Soon after, Maple Leafs defenseman Matt Hunwick clanked a shot off
the vcrossbar.
The Maple Leafs tied it at 14:13 of the first on the eighth goal of
the season by Parenteau, who flicked a shot from the blue line that
took a big hop in front of Schneider and bounced into the top right
corner.
The Leafs took the lead at 2:12 of the second period when van
Riemsdyk deflected a shot by Phaneuf for his eighth goal of the
season. New Jersey defenseman Jon Merrill was serving a tripping
penalty.
The Devils tied the game 2-2 on a power play goal by Palmieri at
13:20 of the second. Palmieri's 12th goal of the season, a blast
from just above the left faceoff circle, came with Toronto center
Byron Froese serving a holding-the-stick penalty.
NOTES: The game Tuesday was the first meeting between the Devils and
Leafs since Lou Lamoriello left New Jersey after 28 years to become
Toronto's general manager. ... Devils C Travis Zajac (upper body)
missed his third game. ... New Jersey LW Tuomo Ruutu (fractured
right foot) missed his 24th game and LW Jiri Tlusty (shoulder) took
the morning skate but missed his ninth game. ... D Jon Merrill
replaced D Eric Gelinas for the game Tuesday and LW Patrik Elias was
switched to center. ... D Dion Phaneuf played his 400th game for the
Maple Leafs on Tuesday. ... The Maple Leafs are still without RW
Joffrey Lupul (lower body), D Stephane Robidas (groin) and G James
Reimer (leg). ... The Leafs are off until Tuesday when they are host
to the Tampa Bay Lightning. ... The Devils are home to the Detroit
Red Wings on Friday.
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
