Auston Matthews broke out of a slump with a pair of goals and Zach Hyman also scored twice as the Toronto Maple Leafs downed the St. Louis Blues 5-2 on Saturday night.
Frederik Andersen made 26 saves for the Leafs, who had lost seven in a row against St. Louis.
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Auston Matthews broke out of a slump with a pair of goals and Zach Hyman also scored twice as the Toronto Maple Leafs downed the St. Louis Blues 5-2 on Saturday night.
Jason Spezza capped the Leafs' four-goal first period outburst with his 19th of the season. Toronto scored three times in a span of 6:06.
Hyman scored his second goal of the game by converting on a short-handed breakaway for a 3-1 lead. He took a perfect pass from Pierre Engvall as they broke in alone on St. Louis goalie Jordan Binnington.
NOTES: St. Louis LW Zach Sanford left in the first period with an upper-body injury and did not return. ...The Maple Leafs are 5-3 under Sheldon Keefe, who stepped in when Mike Babcock was fired on Nov. 20. ...Toronto's last win over St. Louis prior to Saturday was a 4-1 triumph on Jan. 2, 2016. ...Toronto LW Pontus Aberg made his Leafs debut.
St. Louis: Takes on the Sabres in Buffalo on Tuesday.
Toronto Maple Leafs' Kasperi Kapanen, of Finland, screens St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington on a shot for a goal by Jason Spezza (not pictured) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, in St. Louis. (AP PhotoBilly Hurst)
St. Louis Blues' Jaden Schwartz, right, reaches for a loose puck as he is pressured by Toronto Maple Leafs' Travis Dermott during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, in St. Louis. (AP PhotoBilly Hurst)
Toronto Maple Leafs' Zach Hyman, right, celebrates with Pierre Engvall after scoring a goal against the St. Louis Blues during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, in St. Louis. (AP PhotoBilly Hurst)
Toronto Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews gets off a shot for a goal against the St. Louis Blues during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, in St. Louis. (AP PhotoBilly Hurst)
David Perron and Ivan Barbashev scored for St. Louis, which has lost two in a row following a four-game winning streak.
St. Louis Blues' David Perron, left, deflects a shot on a clearing attempt by Toronto Maple Leafs' Alexander Kerfoot during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, in St. Louis. (AP PhotoBilly Hurst)
Jason Spezza capped the Leafs' four-goal first period outburst with his 19th of the season. Toronto scored three times in a span of 6:06.
Matthews had gone a season-high five games without a goal. He broke a 1-1 tie with a wrist shot from the left wing 6:51 into the opening period.
Matthews, the No. 1 overall choice in the 2016 NHL draft, had scored just once in seven career games against the Blues. He pushed the lead to 5-1 with a power-play goal midway through the second period, his 18th goal of the season.
St. Louis Blues' Jaden Schwartz, right, handles the puck as he is defended by Toronto Maple Leafs' John Tavares during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, in St. Louis. (AP PhotoBilly Hurst)
Hyman scored his second goal of the game by converting on a short-handed breakaway for a 3-1 lead. He took a perfect pass from Pierre Engvall as they broke in alone on St. Louis goalie Jordan Binnington.
Andersen recorded his fifth win in his last seven starts to improve to 14-7-3.
Binnington was removed after giving up four goals on 11 shots in the first 9:28. It was the first time he had been pulled since Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final after surrendering five goals on 19 shots.
Toronto Maple Leafs' Tyson Barrie (94) and goaltender Frederik Andersen, of Denmark, (31) defend a shot as St. Louis Blues' Jaden Schwartz (17) attempts a screen during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, in St. Louis. (AP PhotoBilly Hurst)
NOTES: St. Louis LW Zach Sanford left in the first period with an upper-body injury and did not return. ...The Maple Leafs are 5-3 under Sheldon Keefe, who stepped in when Mike Babcock was fired on Nov. 20. ...Toronto's last win over St. Louis prior to Saturday was a 4-1 triumph on Jan. 2, 2016. ...Toronto LW Pontus Aberg made his Leafs debut.
UP NEXT
Toronto: Faces Vancouver on Tuesday in the second game of a four-game road swing,
Toronto Maple Leafs' Jake Muzzin (8) looks to pass the puck as he is defended by St. Louis Blues' Ryan O'Reilly (90) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, in St. Louis. (AP PhotoBilly Hurst)
St. Louis: Takes on the Sabres in Buffalo on Tuesday.
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St. Louis Blues' Justin Faulk, right, skates with the puck as he is trailed by Toronto Maple Leafs' Cody Ceci during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, in St. Louis. (AP PhotoBilly Hurst)
Toronto Maple Leafs' Kasperi Kapanen, of Finland, screens St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington on a shot for a goal by Jason Spezza (not pictured) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, in St. Louis. (AP PhotoBilly Hurst)
St. Louis Blues' Jaden Schwartz, right, reaches for a loose puck as he is pressured by Toronto Maple Leafs' Travis Dermott during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, in St. Louis. (AP PhotoBilly Hurst)
Toronto Maple Leafs' Zach Hyman, right, celebrates with Pierre Engvall after scoring a goal against the St. Louis Blues during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, in St. Louis. (AP PhotoBilly Hurst)
Toronto Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews gets off a shot for a goal against the St. Louis Blues during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, in St. Louis. (AP PhotoBilly Hurst)