Toronto found the back of the net twice, but several unlucky goals against led the Rangers to a 5-2 win.
Toronto found the back of the net twice, but several unlucky goals against led the Rangers to a 5-2 win.
Auston Matthews and the Maple Leafs pushed, though they couldn't find a couple of last-minute goals, losing on John Tavares' 1,000th point night.
It was a nice moment before the game as the Maple Leafs held a ceremony for Tavares' 1,000th point. His wife, Aryne, and their children, Jace, Axton, and Raelynn, plus Tavares' parents, Joe and Barbara, were all present for the ceremony.
Morgan Rielly, Mitch Marner, and Matthews gave the Tavares women flowers, including a tiny bouquet for Raelynn. The Maple Leafs also gifted Tavares a golden stick and his children golden mini sticks, plus a $25,000 donation to the John Tavares foundation and a Tavares 1,000 games painting.
It was a nice ceremony and a classy gesture from the Maple Leafs to give the family several gifts and a donation to the family's foundation. A heartwarming ceremony slowed the start of both teams before it turned into a track meet without much going on.
The first period was pretty lackluster for both Toronto and New York. It was a busy first 20 minutes for Martin Jones, though. He was tasked with taking on Metropolitan Division-leading Rangers following his 38-save shutout on Saturday night.
Jones made 11 stops in the opening frame, including a big stick save on Barclay Goodrow.
It was a pretty even second period aside from the goals department. The Rangers found the back of the net twice, while the Maple Leafs could only beat Igor Shesterkin once.
Each of New York's second-period goals came off abnormal deflections that had Jones stunned as he swept the puck out of the net. You couldn't fault the 33-year-old on either of the goals.
Blake Wheeler's shot appears to bounce off Mika Zibanejad and then a Toronto player before sliding over the goal line. It was an uncanny goal that ended Jones' shutout run that lasted just over five periods.
He allowed another goal later in the period that was just as unlucky. The Rangers were on the power play after a William Lagesson penalty, and Alexis Lafreniere's shot deflected off Rielly and past Jones.
Between each of New York's second-period goals, Matthews got on the board for Toronto. Rielly makes a great play to bring the puck outside, which draws two Rangers players with him before finding the 26-year-old alone in the slot.
The 26-year-old followed it up with another goal in the third period, which tied the game at two. Jake McCabe's assist on Matthews' second goal was just as pretty as Rielly's on the first goal.
McCabe uses all the time he's given to survey his options while retrieving the puck in the corner. Matthews sneaks in like a great white shark approaching his prey, and McCabe makes a no-look pass to the 26-year-old, who then beats Shesterkin over the shoulder for the second time on Tuesday.
Matthews might've missed Saturday's game with the flu bug, but he appeared to be up to full health against the Rangers. The 26-year-old has goals in five consecutive games while continuing a raging hot streak with 12 goals in his last seven games.
His 24th and 25th goals of the year put him back in the top spot for the most goals in the NHL.
As much as Toronto tried to push in the third period, the skaters and Shesterkin stole the show. But again, New York's goals came off unlucky bounces. The Rangers' third goal was a lack of defense more than anything else.
Braden Schneider received the puck in the neutral zone and powered his way past Tavares, who couldn't cut off the open space. Schneider wanted to go upstairs, and Jones read that, but a whiff caused the puck to slide through the netminder's five-hole.
While on the power play later in the period following a David Kampf tripping call, Artemi Panarin's shot deflected off Timothy Liljegren and then Lagesson before going into the net.
That's nearly four unlucky bounces for Toronto that saw them lose the game. As much as the Maple Leafs pushed back, though, Shesterkin was there to make the stops. And then, with Toronto's net empty, Zibanejad ended the game with his second of the game, as the Maple Leafs lost 5-2.
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