William Nylander scored two goals — one into an empty net — and the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins 4-2 on Saturday night.
Mitch Marner added a goal and an assist and Matthew Knies also scored for the Maple Leafs in their home opener and the start of a four-game home stand. Max Domi had two assists as the Maple Leafs won their second straight game after dropping their first game of the season.
Kris Letang and Rickard Rakell scored for the Penguins, who have lost two of three to start the season. Evgeni Malkin added two assists for the Penguins to reach 1,300 career points.
Toronto goaltender Anthony Stolarz stopped 21 shots, and Joel Blomqvist made 29 saves for Pittsburgh.
Letang slapped home a power-play goal from the top of the right circle at 10:58 of the first period. Sidney Crosby and Malkin earned assists. Simon Benoit was serving a tripping penalty.
Nylander tied the game 50 seconds into the second period on a backhand pass from Domi when the pair broke in alone following a Pittsburgh turnover in the neutral zone.
Knies scored from 14 feet at 2:53 of the second after Morgan Rielly’s wide point shot bounced off the end boards and the side of the net. Marner also earned an assist.
Toronto opened the third period on a power play. They did not score with the man advantage but did take a 3-1 soon after. Marner reached a loose puck along the right barrier in the neutral zone, continued in alone and snapped home a 33-footer at 2:12 of the third.
Rakell scored on a 33-foot wrist shot with an assist from Malkin at 12:29 of the third period to pull within one again, but Nylander scored into the empty net at 19:38.
Toronto’s John Tavares (illness) did not play. Toronto defenseman Timothy Liljegren was a healthy scratch for the third consecutive game.
–Field Level Media