Maple Leafs score 4 in 2nd period, down McDavid’s Oilers 7-4

TORONTO (AP) — John Tavares scored two of the four goals in the second period as the Toronto Maple Leafs roared back to down the Edmonton Oilers 7-4 on Saturday night.

Mitchell Marner had a goal and three assists for Toronto, while William Nylander and Auston Matthews each scored and had an assist. Tavares added an assist for a three-point night and Noel Acciari had the other two goals, including into the empty net, for the Leafs.

Matt Murray made 22 saves

Connor McDavid replied with his NHL-best 55th goal of the season and added two assists for Edmonton. Leon Draisaitl, Evander Kane and Mattias Ekholm also scored for the Oilers. Stuart Skinner stopped 31 shots. Evan Bouchard and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins chipped in with two assists each.

Down 3-1 in the second, the Leafs kick-started their comeback when Marner intercepted a Ryan McLeod pass in front of Edmonton’s net before beating Skinner with his 24th goal of the campaign.

Marner then stole another puck — this time off Nick Bjugstad — to feed Nylander for his 34th that tied the game 3-3.

Tavares made it 4-3 to complete a three-goal outburst in exactly three minutes after he and Matthews forced another turnover out of Darnell Nurse.

The Leafs went to the power play late in the period, and Tavares scored his second of the period and 30th overall for a 5-3 advantage through 40 minutes.

A feisty night on the ice finally boiled over eight minutes into the third when Kane and Michael Bunting were involved in a prolonged wrestling match in Edmonton’s end.

Toronto got a power play that saw Matthews score his 30th before Draisaitl replied with his 42nd on another man advantage. Acciari then iced it into the empty net late.

HOME DEBUTS

Saturday marked the first home game as members of the Leafs for forward Sam Lafferty and defensemen Jake McCabe and Erik Gustafsson after the trio was added ahead of the trade deadline.

Luke Schenn, meanwhile, will have to wait a little longer for his first game back at Scotiabank Arena.

The blue-liner, who played for Toronto from 2008 to 2012, is in Vancouver awaiting the birth of his third child.

UP NEXT

Oilers: Host Ottawa on Tuesday night in the opener of a two-game homestand.

Maple Leafs: Host Buffalo on Monday night in the second of a four-game homestand.

___

AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://www.twitter.com/AP_Sports

SHARE: