The Toronto Maple Leafs used the luck of the Irish on St. Patrick's Day to beat the visiting Calgary Flames and win their 40th game of the season. It was a much-needed win after losing five of their previous six games.
The Toronto Maple Leafs remain third in the Atlantic Division but are tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning for second place with 83 points. Beating the Flames helped the Leafs keep six points between them and the red-hot Ottawa Senators, who have won six in a row. The Leafs are two points back of the division-leading Florida Panthers (85 points) but have a game in hand.
With two more games against the Panthers this season on April 2nd and April 8th, the Leafs will need to view both as must-win games. Finishing first in the division could be on the line, depending on how the Leafs do with their remaining seven games in March.
Hopefully, the win against the Flames on Monday night will be the start of a winning streak for the Leafs. A streak which they will look to continue on Wednesday night against the Colorado Avalanche. As for Monday night's win over the Flames, there were so many positives in that game.
Toronto Maple Leafs beat Flames 6-2
The Leafs took an early lead on Monday night with a goal from the suddenly red-hot Max Domi. He has two goals and four points in his last four games. Domi is heating up at the right time as the Leafs will need him to produce come playoff time. The early 1-0 lead was squandered late in the first with a goal by the Flames with less than a minute left in the period.
(All stats from hockey-reference.com)
The second period was all Leafs, and it started on the power play with a goal by William Nylander. Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner assisted on the goal. The assist was Marner's 60th assist of the season. Flames forward Morgan Frost thought he tied the game 2-2, but the Leafs challenged for offside. The play was deemed to be offside, so the score remained 2-1 Leafs. Close to the halfway point of the second, Nick Robertson scored his 12th goal of the season to give the Leafs a 3-1 lead.
Auston Matthews would score his 25th and 26th goals of the season to give the Leafs a 5-1 lead. Both goals by Matthews were on the power play, improving the power play to 3 for 3 on the night. With an assist on the first Matthews goal, Nylander registered his 598th point, moving him past Frank Mahovlich (597 points) for sole possession of ninth on the Leafs all-time points list.
The Flames would turn up the pressure in the third period, but by then it was too late for them. Bobby McMann scored at 3:03 of the third to give the Leafs a commanding 6-1 lead. Kevin Bahl for the Flames scored in the last minute of regulation, but the Flames would fall to the Leafs 6-2. Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll stopped 24/26 shots he faced for his 23rd victory of the season.