Rangers avenge recent loss to Maple Leafs, win 5-2

Mika Zibanejad scored twice and the visiting New York Rangers defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2 on Tuesday night.

Auston Matthews scored twice for the Maple Leafs.

Matthews, who did not play Saturday because of illness, has scored in each of his past five games for a total of nine goals.

Martin Jones made 31 saves for Toronto.

Alexis Lafreniere, Braden Schneider and Artemi Panarin also scored for the Rangers. Erik Gustafsson and Blake Wheeler had three assists apiece.

Igor Shesterkin stopped 31 shots for the Rangers, who lost to the Maple Leafs 7-3 on Dec. 12 in New York.

New York had an 11-5 advantage in shots on goal after the first period.

Zibanejad scored his 10th goal of the season at 6:11 of the second period after a couple of bounces. Wheeler and Chris Kreider had assists on the goal that came off a rush when Toronto defenseman TJ Brodie was caught pinching.

Matthews scored his 24th of the season on a 14-foot shot at 7:32 of the second. Morgan Rielly and Tyler Bertuzzi assisted.

The Rangers regained the lead when Lafreniere scored his ninth goal of the season on a power play at 9:50 of the second on a shot that was deflected by Toronto defenseman Rielly. Jonny Brodzinski and Gustafsson assisted. William Lagesson was off for holding,

New York led 25-22 in shots on goal after two periods.

Matthews tied the game at 1:16 of the third period on a high 20-foot wrist shot to the glove side, his 25th of the season. Jake McCabe and William Nylander earned assists.

Schneider scored his second of the season off a rush at 8:08 of the third.

Panarin scored his 17th goal of the season on a power play at 15:08 of the third.

Zibanejad scored into an empty net at 16:47 of the third, his 11th goal of the season.

The Maple Leafs had a pregame tribute to team captain John Tavares, who reached 1,000 career points Dec. 11 on the road against his former team, the New York Islanders.

—Field Level Media