In Toronto, the Maple Leafs’ Jake McCabe scored with 0- seconds gone in extra time on Monday night to give Toronto a 3-2 win over the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins.
McCabe came off the right boards and took a pass from Auston Matthews for a shot at the goal mouth for the win.
“Auston found me on the back side and I was able to sneak one by,” McCabe said. “I thought our start was flat. We responded well in the second. I liked our game to start the third, too, and they get one by us, my guy actually, so it was nice to help. [Ilya] Samsonov was awesome for us all night, so it was nice to get one back for him.”
Ilya Samsonov made 30 saves in the win.
The Maple Leafs improved to 45-23-9 off their fifth win in sex games.
The Maple Leafs are three points back of the Florida Panthers for second in the Atlantic Division.
“I just think not a pretty game by any means for both sides,” Matthews said. “I just thought staying patient, doing a job in our own end and just trying to find a way through a slushy game. [McCabe] is such a competitor, he battles every single night for us, especially in the defensive zone. He plays an important role for us, so it’s always nice to see guys like that get rewarded on the offensive side.”
The Pens took a 1-0 lead on a strike by Rickard Rakell 18:06 of the opening stanza, scoring off a shot form the left circle.
The Maple Leafs replied in the middle frame when Matthew Knies scored at 5:36, tying the game, 1-1. He stuffed home a pass from T.J. Brodie.
“That was unreal. That was pretty incredible (for him) to see that,” Knies said. “I don’t think a lot of defensemen can see that kind of play, and he made a great play and passed it right around their guy. All I had to do was put my stick in a great place. It was a good play by him.”
The dropped to 36-30-12) running their point streak to nine games.
The win pushed the Pens into a tie with the Detroit Red Wings for the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, Detroit has a game in hand.
Pittsburgh is two points back of third in the Metropolitan Division.
“I just loved our compete level,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. “I think our guys are really committed. Their compete level is high, it’s not perfect out there. We are battling hard, we’re trying to play together. The chatter on the bench during the game is great, so we just have to stay with it. It’s a hard-fought point, it’s a big point. Obviously, we are disappointed we don’t get the second one, but it’s a hard-fought point.”
Matthews scored his 65th of the season at 1:22 of the third period to give the Maple Leafs a 2-1 lead off a power play marker.
“It’s incredible man,” McCabe said of Matthews. “We’re in awe just as much as you guys are watching. What I like most about his game is that obviously he is scoring for us, but his defensive details are top-notch. He seems to always be in the right spot. He’s got a phenomenal stick. He’s really helping us out down low for us defensemen and taking charge defensively. He’s not cheating the game to get these goals.”
The Pens forced the extra session on a strike by Drew O’Connor at 13:38 of the third. He scored off am errant puck at the crease. 
“Silver lining, I think every point is super valuable, so you are down late in the third and you find a way to get a point, that’s obviously huge, but I think we’ve had a couple situations where our overtimes have hurt us this year,” O’Connor said. “It’s just something we have to be better at and find a way to get that extra point.”
Alex Nedeljkovic made 20 saves in the loss.
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