Max Domi scores deciding goal in shootout to lift Maple Leafs in win over Rangers
TORONTO — Max Domi scored the deciding goal in the shootout and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the New York Rangers 4-3 on Saturday night.
John Tavares, Mitch Marner and William Nylander had goals in regulation for Toronto, which has won nine of its last 10 games. Ilya Samsonov stopped 32 shots.
Vincent Trocheck scored twice, and Alexis Lafreniere had a goal and two assists as the Rangers lost for just the second time in 13 games (11-1-1). Artemi Panarin also had two assists and Igor Shesterkin made 31 saves.
After Mika Zibanejad and Marner traded goals in the shootout, Domi put Toronto ahead in the fourth round. Trocheck then hit the post to seal the Maple Leafs' win.
Ilya Lyubushkin, who took a big hit from hulking New York rookie Matt Rempe late in the second period and didn't return, suited up for the Maple Leafs following Thursday's three-team trade that brought the bruising defenseman back to Toronto from Anaheim. The 29-year-old Russian was also with the club for 31 games and a playoff round in 2022.
Toronto forward Calle Jarnkrok returned to the lineup after breaking his knuckle in practice on Jan. 26, while defenseman Timothy Liljegren was also back from a two-game absence with an undisclosed injury.
Tavares snapped a 2-2 tie at 7:17 of the third period when Jarnkrok's shot hit Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba before ricocheting off the Toronto captain and in for his 18th goal of the season.
The 6-foot-7 Rempe — a combatant in three memorable fights through his first six NHL games — and Toronto's Ryan Reaves dropped the gloves in a spirited tilt later in the period.
Samsonov made a huge stop on Panarin with less that five minutes remaining in regulation and made an even bigger glove save on Adam Fox moments later.
However, Trocheck it with his second of the night and 22nd overall with 1:07 left when he knocked in a rebound.
New York opened the scoring with 8:27 left in the first when Lafreniere wired a shot off the post and back bar for his 18th.
After plenty of pre-game talk about Rempe and Reaves, the pair were in close quarters later in the period. Reaves, 37, tried to get the 21-year-old forward's attention in the neutral zone at the end of their shifts, but Rempe skated off to boos from the Scotiabank Arena crowd.
Samsonov stopped Jimmy Vesey on a breakaway later in the period and Trochek ripped a shot off the post on a power play before Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly swept the loose puck to safety.
Toronto tied it 1-1 at 3:54 of the second when Marner slid his 24th under Shesterkin, but Trochek finished off a nice passing play 1:09 later to put the Rangers back ahead.
Nylander tied it again at 8:54 when he floated a shot through traffic that hit former Toronto defenseman Erik Gustafsson's stick and fooled Shesterkin for his 33rd. That gave the Swede his third 10-game point streak of the season to set a franchise record.
UP NEXT
Rangers: Host Florida on Monday night.
Maple Leafs: Host Boston on Monday night.