Simon Edvinsson’s OT winner nudges Red Wings past Maple Leafs
Simon Edvinsson scored with 3:14 remaining in overtime as the host Detroit Red Wings captured a 3-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday.
Edvinsson skated into the crease and scored on a backhander as the Red Wings maintained a two-point lead in the Atlantic Division.
Moritz Seider and Mason Appleton scored the regulation goals for Detroit, while Cam Talbot made 25 saves.
Matthew Knies and Nicholas Robertson had the goals for Toronto, and John Tavares assisted on both. Dennis Hildeby made 33 saves.
Detroit forward Patrick Kane returned to action after missing the previous six games due to an upper-body injury. Maple Leafs forward William Nylander missed the contest due to a lower-body injury.
Both teams had eight shots on goal during the first period, but neither side broke through. Toronto's Scott Laughton had an early chance on a breakaway, but his backhander hit the post. Hildeby made a quality save against Emmitt Finnie later in the period.
The Maple Leafs' Nicholas Robertson had a breakaway early in the second, but Talbot made a pad save. Toronto was awarded the first power play of the game when Ben Chiarot was called for tripping. The Maple Leafs cashed in at 4:25 of the period.
Auston Matthews passed the puck in front of Knies, who scored while getting knocked down. Tavares recorded the second assist.
Hildeby made some nifty glove saves against Lucas Raymond and Chiarot late in the period.
The Red Wings continued to put on the pressure and scored with 59 seconds left in the period when Seider's shot from near the blue line sliced through traffic and past Hildeby. Raymond picked up an assist.
Robertson and Appleton traded goals 23 seconds apart five minutes into the third period.
Robertson ripped a slapshot past Talbot off a Tavares feed. Appleton answered with a shot from the right circle that eluded Hildeby's glove. Michael Rasmussen and Albert Johansson picked up assists.
Detroit's Andrew Copp hit the post with less than two minutes left.
The Red Wings have a 3-0 season series lead over the Maple Leafs.