TORONTO (Ticker) -- Dominic Moore and Nik Antropov recorded a
goal and an assist apiece as the Toronto Maple Leafs snapped a
five-game losing streak with a 4-2 triumph over the Philadelphia
Flyers on Saturday.
Lee Stempniak and defenseman Pavel Kubina also scored and Vesa
Toskala turned aside 28 shots for Toronto, which was 0-3-2 in
its previous five games.
The victory was a welcome sight to Brian Burke, who was
introduced as the Maple Leafs' new president and general manager
earlier in the day.
Burke, who stepped down as the Anaheim Ducks' GM earlier this
month, has agreed to a six-year, $18 million contract that runs
through 2014, according to media reports.
"I think what Burke described this afternoon are words that
would describe any hockey player," Moore said. "They want to
bring competitiveness to any opportunity they can and everything
they do. I hope everyone can continue on the path that they are
on right now (and) improving everyday."
"Obviously our philosophies mesh really well, but we're sure to
have our disagreements about certain things - which is good,
because you would hate it and it wouldn't be good if it was just
Brian and I, sitting in my office singing the Providence College
fight song," Toronto coach Ron Wilson said.
Captain Mike Richards tallied twice and Martin Biron finished
with 23 saves for Philadelphia, which fell to 7-1-2 in its last
10 games.
"We made some uncharacteristic mistakes that we haven't been
making lately," Richards said. "They seemed to capitalize on
every single chance. I don't know what it is and I don't know
how to point a finger at it. Mental mistakes today and they
cost us."
The Flyers have lost 11 of their last 14 to the Maple Leafs,
including five of seven in Toronto.
After the teams traded goals in the first period, Antropov
regained the lead for the Maple Leafs at 2:55 of the second
period.
Defenseman Tomas Kaberle blasted a shot from center ice that
Biron denied, but as the netminder attempted to clear the puck,
Antropov used his body to knock it down. The Russian alertly
noticed the puck in his skates and tapped it past Biron for his
ninth goal of the season.
"It's great to get a couple goals from different guys and
everything is working and everyone is happy," Antropov said.
"Vesa made some great saves. He's a great goalie and he's
really turned it around. The other night against Ottawa just
wasn't his night, but it's great for him to have a game like
tonight."
Moore gave Toronto a two-goal advantage nearly six minutes
later.
After serving a high sticking penalty, Moore exited the penalty
box and collected a loose puck at center ice. The 28-year-old
then skated in on Biron and tucked the puck just inside the
right goalpost for his fifth goal of the season.
After Richards halved the deficit with the Flyers' NHL-leading
ninth shorthanded goal of the season, Kubina regained the
two-goal lead just 2:16 into the third after blasting a shot
from the right point past a screened Biron for his fifth tally
of the campaign.
"The goal we scored at the end was a huge boost, but we're
frustrated though," Gagne said. "Toskala was making some big
saves. On the power play we had a lot of chances, as I said,
Toskala just played very well and made some great saves. He
probably made the save of the game on me on a wide open net."