Toronto Maple Leafs forward David Kampf (left) is congratulated by teammates after scoring the Leafs' opening goal as New York Islanders forward Brock Nelson skates past during first-period NHL action in Toronto on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
TORONTO – David Kampf, Steven Lorentz and John Tavares scored to lead the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 3-1 victory over the New York Islanders on Tuesday afternoon at Scotiabank Arena.
Joseph Woll made 30 saves as Toronto (23-13-2) moved into a tie with the idle Florida Panthers for top spot in the Atlantic Division standings.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau tallied for the Islanders (14-7-7), who got 22 saves from Ilya Sorokin.
Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews sat out for a fifth straight game. He was placed on injured reserve earlier in the day, a move retroactive to Dec. 20 that allowed Toronto to recall defenceman Marshall Rifai.
A team spokesman said Matthews, who returned to practice on Monday, had not experienced any setbacks with his upper-body injury.
Kampf capped a plodding first period with his second goal of the season. William Nylander drew two defenders behind the net, leaving Kampf open for the one-timer.
New York appeared to tie the game early in the second period when Adam Pelech’s knuckler from the point beat a screened Woll. The Maple Leafs successfully used a coach’s challenge as the play was deemed offside.
Moments later, the Islanders successfully challenged a Toronto goal after Matthew Knies knocked in his own rebound. A video review determined there was goaltender interference.
New York got on the board at 11:59 when Pageau converted a slick pass from Noah Dobson for his ninth goal of the season.
Lorentz restored Toronto’s lead just 16 seconds later. He took a pass from Ryan Reaves and turned defenceman Scott Mayfield inside out before notching his fourth goal.
Woll stopped Brock Nelson on a short-handed breakaway late in the third period. Tavares iced the win with an empty-net goal with 34 seconds left.
Maple Leafs forward Pontus Holmberg and defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson sat out due to illness. Islanders forward Simon Holmstrom was a late scratch with an upper-body injury.
TAKEAWAYS
Maple Leafs: Woll appeared to be in some mild discomfort after a goalmouth scramble early in the second period but stayed in the game. He missed the first few weeks of the season with a groin issue.
Islanders: Special teams continue to be a problem. New York, which entered with a league-worst power-play percentage of 11.5, was 0 for 1 with the man advantage.
KEY MOMENT
Defenceman Chris Tanev blocked a shot in his own end and guided the ensuing breakout that led to Toronto’s first goal.
KEY STAT
The Maple Leafs are 2-3-0 during their captain’s latest absence. Toronto was 7-2-0 without Matthews in the lineup in November.
UP NEXT
The Islanders will host the Maple Leafs in the back end of the home-and-home series on Thursday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 31, 2024.
