Auston Matthews scored 2:51 into overtime to fuel the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 2-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night in Newark, N.J.
Matthews fended off Devils defenseman Brett Pesce on a partial breakaway and tucked the puck past Jacob Markstrom to end the game. The goal was Matthews’ ninth of the season and fourth in his past five games.
Toronto’s Pontus Holmberg scored a short-handed goal midway into the third period, and New Jersey native Anthony Stolarz made 38 saves for the win.
The Maple Leafs overcame a 39-16 disadvantage in shots to record their ninth straight road victory over the Devils.
Ondrej Palat scored a goal in the second period and Markstrom turned aside 14 shots for New Jersey.
The Devils received a scare late in the second period when star Jack Hughes was leveled by an open-ice hit from Toronto’s Max Pacioretty. Hughes remained in the game, however.
New Jersey enjoyed a 16-1 edge in shots on goal during a scoreless first period before finally breaking through at the 7:16 mark of the second.
Jesper Bratt corralled a loose puck following a poke check from defenseman Morgan Rielly and carried the puck across the blue line. Bratt alertly sent a nifty feed to Palat, who scored from the slot for his fourth goal of the season and first since Nov. 12.
New Jersey held that lead until the 10:42 mark of the third period. Connor Dewar cleared the puck out of the defensive end and Holmberg followed the play before sweeping a shot past Markstrom for his second goal of the season.
Toronto’s Max Domi had two shots on goal in his return from an eight-game absence caused by a lower-body injury.
New Jersey’s Nathan Bastian registered three shots on goal in his return from a broken jaw that kept him out for 16 games.
–Field Level Media
