Leafs spot Habs 3-goal lead, roar back for 7-3 win

Field Level Media|published: Sat 18th January, 22:22 2025

Jan 18, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Pontus Holmberg (29) plays the puck agains tMontreal Canadiens defenseman David Savard (58) during the first period at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

The Toronto Maple Leafs came back from three goals down to top the host Montreal Canadiens 7-3 on Saturday night.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson tallied a goal and two assists and Joseph Woll made 33 saves for Toronto, which won its second straight game after a three-game losing streak. Bobby McCann had a goal and an assist, and Nicholas Robertson, William Nylander, Auston Matthews, Steven Lorentz and David Kampf all scored a goal apiece.

Patrik Laine had a gold and an assist, Josh Anderson and Kirby Dach also scored, and Sam Montembeault made 27 saves for the Canadiens, who had a two-game winning streak stopped.

Ekman-Larsson notched the go-ahead with 15:29 left in the third with a point shot on the power play.

Dach opened the scoring on a delayed penalty just over five minutes into the contest. Dach took a pass from Kaiden Guhle and found the back of the net.

Woll got some revenge and snagged Alexandre Carrier's wrist shot with 8:10 left in the first.

The Maple Leafs' struggles continued with just over five minutes left in the first as Matthews took a double-minor for high-sticking.

Laine continued his man-advantage dominance with 1:39 left in the opening period as he slammed home his 10th power-play goal of the season.

The Canadiens struck again just nine seconds later as Anderson danced past the Maple Leafs' Max Domi and fired a backhand home to increase the lead to 3-0.

Bobby McMann got Toronto on the board with just over 10 minutes left in the second period as he wired his wrist shot over the blocker of Montembeault.

The Maple Leafs cut the deficit to one as Robertson tipped in a pass from Ekman-Larsson with 1:14 remaining in the second.

Nylander knotted things up just 24 seconds into the third period as he stole the puck near his own blue line and sped down the ice before sliding the puck past Montembeault.

After Ekman-Larsson's equalizer, Matthews extended the Maple Leafs' lead to 5-3 with 12:02 remaining in the contest.

Lorentz effectively sealed the victory as he scored with 5:15 left to make it 6-3, and Kampf scored into an empty net.

--Field Level Media

Latest