Matthews, Bozak rally Leafs over Canucks in shootout (Jan 06, 2018)

By AP
Published

TORONTO (AP) Auston Matthews and Tyler Bozak brought the Toronto Maple Leafs back, then made the rally count for two points.

Matthews and Bozak scored in the third period and again in the shootout, and Toronto beat the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 on Saturday night.

The Leafs also beat San Jose 3-2 in shootout Thursday with Bozak scoring the key goal. Frederik Andersen stopped 2 of 3 shootout attempts after making 34 saves in this one.

''It's fun to go in those, especially when you have a chance to win it for the guys,'' Bozak said of shootouts.

Canucks star rookie Brock Boeser appeared to have won it with a blistering shot 45 seconds into overtime, but replays showed the puck went off one post and then another without crossing the line.

The Leafs then had a man-advantage with Boeser off for slashing but failed to convert.

Boeser scored in the second period and Sam Gagner in the third to put Vancouver ahead 2-0 before Matthews and Bozak brought Toronto back.

''One of the best games we've played in a while,'' Canucks coach Travis Green said. ''That's a good hockey team over there and I thought we did a good job limiting their chances. That was just a really good hockey game.''

Toronto finally beat Jacob Markstrom at 8:23 of the third when Matthews tipped in a pass from Zach Hyman for his 19th. Bozak tied it at 12:37, knocking in his own rebound after a long stretch pass from Morgan Rielly sent him in alone.

''Our power play wasn't good (0-for-4 including a man-advantage in overtime) ... but we found a way to win a game down 2-0,'' Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock said. ''It's a real big win, a real big two points for us, but I think you've got to give them credit. I thought they did a good job, I thought their coach did a real good job with his bench too, I really did. I thought he knew what was going on, he was dialed in.''

Vancouver defenseman Chris Tanev, who had just returned to action from a groin injury, left the game in the first period after taking a deflected shot to the face on his fourth shift that left a pool of blood and several teeth on the ice. Defensive partner Michael Del Zotto retrieved the teeth.

Tanev had a bloody lip and his face was swollen after the game. The team had not yet checked if he had any fractures, but Tanev was set to remain with the team on its road trip.

Boeser put the visitors ahead at 2:59, beating Andersen stick-side with a snap shot off Thomas Vanek's feed.

The Leafs seemed to have tied it up at 8:26 on an own goal by Markstrom, who fumbled Rielly's lob shot into the net when it fell out of his glove. But Vancouver successfully challenged the play was offside, with replays showing the puck bounced off Rielly's skate across the blue line with a Leaf player in the zone.

Gagner made it 2-0 at 6:34 of the third, taking advantage of 1:22 of a 5-on-3 when Matt Martin and Roman Polak received minors. Gagner beat Andersen with a screen shot from the face-off circle with 17 seconds remaining on the first penalty.

The goal snapped an 0-for-15 power-play drought for the Canucks.

NOTES: Saturday's game was the first of a lengthy road trip that will also take the Canucks to Montreal, Washington, Columbus, Minnesota, Edmonton and Winnipeg.

Canucks: Play at Montreal on Sunday night.

Maple Leafs: Host Columbus on Monday night.

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