Matthews Scores 2 And Helps Maple Leafs Beat Red Wings 5-3

Auston Matthews scored twice for a league-leading nine goals — tying an NHL record after five games — and helped the Toronto Maple Leafs beat Detroit Red Wings 5-3 Thursday night.

Matthews joined Alex Ovechkin, Patrick Marleau, Mario Lemieux and Mike Bossy as the players in league history to score nine times in their teams' first five games. He is the third player in franchise history to score in its first five games of a season.

Morgan Rielly had a goal and an assist, giving him 11 points to equal Bobby Orr's strong start during the 1973-74 season. Rielly and Orr trail only defenseman Harry Cameron, who had 15 points in the Toronto Arenas' first five games of the 1917-18 season.

Nick Jensen gave the Red Wings a 1-0 lead midway through the first period and scored a second goal midway through the third to pull them within a goal.

Soon after Jensen's second goal, Matthews took advantage of a power play by scoring his second goal of the game.

Detroit pulled within a goal again when a review determined Dylan Larkin scored with 6:04 left in the game. The Red Wings pulled Jimmy Howard to add an extra skater, but Ron Hainsey scored an empty-net goal to seal the win.

Frederik Andersen made 26 saves and Mitch Marner had a goal for the Maple Leafs.

Howard had 30 stops for the rebuilding Red Wings, who have lost their first four games for the first time since the 1980.

The Atlantic Division-leading Maple Leafs have won three straight.

NOTES: Matthews joined Sweeney Schriner (1944-45) and Corb Denneny (1921-22) in team history as the three players who scored in each of its first five games in a season. ... The Red Wings announced before the game they will retire Hall of Famer Red Kelly's No. 4 jersey on Feb. 1, 2019, when they host Toronto. Kelly played in Detroit from 1947-60 and for the Maple Leafs from 1960-67. Toronto retired his jersey two years ago. ... Jensen has scored three of the six goals in his career against Toronto. The defenseman did not score in 81 games last season and had four the previous season as a rookie.

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Maple Leafs: Play at Washington on Saturday night.

Red Wings: Play at Boston on Saturday.