In Toronto, Mitchel Marner and William Nylander scored 20 seconds apart in the third period to snap a 3-3 tie and help send the Maple Leafs to a 5-4 win over the visiting Dallas Stars.
Nylander’s goal at 11:57 of the third was his second of the night.
The Maple Leafs hit for three power play goals in the win.
Ilya Samsonov made 27 saves in the win.
The Maple Leafs improved to 26-15-8.
“You kind of feel like we’re letting them hang around again, but what a response coming out,” Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe said. “Auston [Matthews] takes charge of things out there, [Mitchell Marner] a big-time goal, and then with John [Tavares] and that line following up, that was obviously huge.
“It’s just reminding the guys, we made a mistake, a guy gets behind us, penalty-shot goal, but we were playing a great period to that point. Just continue with it and stay with it.”
Nylander started the Maple Leafs’ offense with a power play strike at 6:34 of the opening stanza for a 1-0 lead.
“We had a great pre-scout from our coach and told us what things might be open and we competed hard, too,” Nylander said. “I mean Matthews’ goal, huge wall battle and then taking it to the net, just attacking the net and scoring.”
Dallas replied with a power play marker of their own from Jamie Benn tied at 14:52 to knot the game, 1-1.
Evgenii Dadonov, who also hit for a double, scored his first at 17:23 of the first for a 2-1 lead to Dallas.
John Tavares scored at 3:40 of the middle frame to tie the game, 2-2, for the Maple Leafs.
Auston Matthews gave Toronto a 3-2 advantage at 12:37 of the second.
“That’s a really, really good team on the other side, so I think it was just sticking with it throughout the whole game,” Matthews said. “There’s going to be momentum swings, but I think special teams had a pretty big play into the game tonight, so it was obviously good to see us make good on some of those opportunities and some big goals there at the end to extend the lead. It was nice to get the two points tonight here on home ice.”
Dallas dropped to 31-14-6.
“Obviously, the special teams were the story of the game,” Dallas coach Pete DeBoer said. “That’s where the game is lost. You can’t give up three power-play goals and expect to win on the road anywhere. I think that’s probably the story of the game.
“We’ve got a good penalty kill. I’m confident long term, it has been good and it will be good.”
The Stars tied the game, 3-3, in the third when Dadonov hit for his double off a penalty shot at 11:05.
That set the stage for the quick strikes by Marner and Nylander, the Marner goal was scored 32 seconds after Dallas had tied it.
“I just think we were a little flat and took us a little bit to get into the game, but the positive thing is we came back and started playing well in the second and third period,” Nylander said.
Dallas got one back when Wyatt Johnston added a marker at 18:35 for the 5-4 final count on the scoreboard.
“Not the easiest coming off the long break and playing a back-to-back, but I think we all know we had it in us to get the win tonight,” Johnston said. “Just the execution, obviously playing a team with all the great offensive players they have, you have to be really good in all areas of the ice and not give them much. It definitely makes it tough give up three goals on the penalty kill.”
Scott Wedgewood made 26 saves in the loss.
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