Auston Matthews scored and Jack Campbell made 24 saves for his third win in four games with Toronto, sending the Maple Leafs to a 4-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night.
Jake Muzzin, William Nylander and Mitch Marner also scored for the Maple Leafs (31-20-8), who opened a four-point lead over Florida for third place in the Atlantic Division. The Panthers lost 4-1 to Edmonton earlier in the day.
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Auston Matthews scored and Jack Campbell made 24 saves for his third win in four games with Toronto, sending the Maple Leafs to a 4-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night.
Connor Brown and Cody Goloubef scored for the Senators (19-28-11), who fell to 1-5-2 in their last eight games. Marcus Hogberg was pulled after giving up three goals on 16 shots. Craig Anderson stopped all 14 he faced.
Zach Hyman had a great opportunity to restore the two-goal lead as he took advantage of a Senators giveaway and broke in alone short-handed, but Anderson made a great glove save to keep Ottawa within reach.
The Senators got on the board at the 16-minute mark as Chris Tierney made a nice pass out front to Vladislav Namestnikov, who fed Brown for his 11th of the season into an open net. With his 36th point, Brown, a former member of the Maple Leafs, tied his career high.
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Ottawa Senators left wing Brady Tkachuk (7) becomes entangled with Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Timothy Liljegren (37) during first-period NHL hockey game action in Ottawa, Ontario, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020. (Justin TangThe Canadian Press via AP)
Campbell improved to 3-0-1 since Toronto acquired him on Feb. 5.
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jack Campbell (36) puts his glove on the puck as Ottawa Senators left wing Brady Tkachuk (7) tries to get his stick on it and Leafs' center Auston Matthews (34) defends during third-period NHL hockey game action in Ottawa, Ontario, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020. (Justin TangThe Canadian Press via AP)
Connor Brown and Cody Goloubef scored for the Senators (19-28-11), who fell to 1-5-2 in their last eight games. Marcus Hogberg was pulled after giving up three goals on 16 shots. Craig Anderson stopped all 14 he faced.
While games against Toronto have always brought Maple Leafs fans to Canadian Tire Centre, on this night it was hard to find a Senators jersey throughout entire sections of the building. The crowd of 18,544 was the biggest of the season for Ottawa.
The Senators cut it to 3-2 midway through the third period when Goloubef scored his first goal since Nov. 17, 2015.
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jack Campbell (36) reaches for the rebounding puck as Ottawa Senators center Artem Anisimov (51) watches during second-period NHL hockey game action in Ottawa, Ontario, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020. (Justin TangThe Canadian Press via AP)
Zach Hyman had a great opportunity to restore the two-goal lead as he took advantage of a Senators giveaway and broke in alone short-handed, but Anderson made a great glove save to keep Ottawa within reach.
Marner sealed it on an empty-net goal with just more than a minute remaining. He flipped the puck into the net from deep in his own zone, launching it over the Senators defense.
Toronto opened a three-goal lead in the second. Muzzin sent a wrist shot past a screened Hogberg, who had no chance at the puck. Ten minutes later, Nylander tipped John Tavares’ shot past Hogberg to make it 3-0 and end the Ottawa goalie's night.
Toronto Maple Leafs right wing William Nylander (88) celebrates a goal in front of Ottawa Senators goaltender Marcus Hogberg (35) and defenseman Thomas Chabot (72) during second-period NHL hockey game action in Ottawa, Ontario, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020. (Justin TangThe Canadian Press via AP)
The Senators got on the board at the 16-minute mark as Chris Tierney made a nice pass out front to Vladislav Namestnikov, who fed Brown for his 11th of the season into an open net. With his 36th point, Brown, a former member of the Maple Leafs, tied his career high.
Toronto came out of the first with a 1-0 lead after Matthews was able to squeeze a shot through Hogberg, a goal the rookie would surely want back.
NOTES: With Mark Borowiecki sidelined by an ankle injury, Thomas Chabot was given the "A". ... Mikkel Boedker was the lone healthy scratch for the Senators. ... Toronto canceled practice Friday because of a flu bug making its way around the team.
Ottawa Senators center Jean-Gabriel Pageau (44) crashes into the boards with Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Muzzin (8) during first-period NHL hockey game action in Ottawa, Ontario, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020. (Justin TangThe Canadian Press via AP)
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Maple Leafs: At the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday night.
Senators: Host the Dallas Stars on Sunday.
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Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jack Campbell (36) reaches for the puck as defenseman Justin Holl (3) keeps Ottawa Senators left wing Brady Tkachuk (7) from the puck during first-period NHL hockey game action in Ottawa, Ontario, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020. (Justin TangThe Canadian Press via AP)
Ottawa Senators left wing Brady Tkachuk (7) becomes entangled with Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Timothy Liljegren (37) during first-period NHL hockey game action in Ottawa, Ontario, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020. (Justin TangThe Canadian Press via AP)