TORONTO (AP) — Mitch Marner scored the tying goal late in the third period and then got the winner 2:51 into overtime to give the Toronto Maple Leafs a 4-3 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday night.
Auston Matthews also scored twice, and John Tavares and Morgan Rielly each had two assists to help Toronto get its sixth straight win. Petr Mrazek stopped 28 shots to improve to 6-2-0 this season.
Marner also had an assist, giving him 10 goals and nine assists during an eight-game goal- and point-scoring streak.
Tony DeAngelo had a goal and an assist, and Nino Niederreiter and Derek Stepan also scored for the Hurricanes, who lost for the second time in nine games (7-1-1) and are 16-3-2 in their last 21. Frederik Andersen had 28 saves.
In the extra period, Marner ended it when he slammed in the rebound of a shot by Rielly for his 16th of the season. The celebration was tempered because of a scary incident for Matthews late in regulation.
With less than a minute remaining in the third, Matthews got tangled up with Niederreiter and crashed into the end boards. Matthews held his head after the incident and went to the dressing room to be examined.
After Matthews scored his 30th and 31st goals to give Toronto a 2-1 lead late in the second period, the Hurricanes scored twice in the first half of the third period to take the lead.
DeAngelo tied it with his eighth just 8 seconds into the period, and Stepan gave Carolina the lead at 9:23 when he knocked in the rebound at the side of the net.
Marner tied it after Andersen misplayed a point shot from Timothy Liljegren, leaving a juicy rebound for the Leafs’ forward with 5:48 remaining.
After a slow start, the Hurricanes dominated the final 10 minutes of the first period. Niederreiter redirected a pass from defenseman Ian Cole to give Carolina a 1-0 advantage with 6:54 left.
Andersen made a handful of good stops, including a left pad save on Matthews on a 3-on-2 rush on the power play, to frustrate his old teammates.
The Maple Leafs finally beat Andersen on their third power-play situation. Matthews poked in a loose puck in the crease for a 1-1 tie.
Toronto entered the game with the league’s most efficient power play. Conversely, the Hurricanes were the top-ranked penalty killers.
Carolina had its chances to retake the lead. But Seth Jarvis fanned on a chance in front, and Mrazek stopped Sebastian Aho on a breakaway.
Matthews put Toronto in front 3:21 later, in the final minute of the second period, on a 37-foot blast from the high slot.
UP NEXT
Hurricanes: At Ottawa on Tuesday night to continue a four-game trip.
Maple Leafs: At Calgary on Thursday night to open a three-game trip.
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