Brassard helps Senators rally past Maple Leafs
TORONTO -- Derick Brassard scored two goals and ended a tie with a power-play goal in the third period as the Ottawa Senators came back to defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3 on Saturday night.
The Maple Leafs had taken a 3-2 lead with a goal early in the third period only to have the Senators strike for two quick goals. The Senators (31-19-6) won three of their four games this season against the Maple Leafs (26-20-11).
The Senators added two empty-net goals.
Chris Wideman, Ryan Dzingel, Mike Hoffman and Mark Stone also scored for the Senators, who have won two in a row. Stone added four assists for Ottawa.
Morgan Rielly, Nazem Kadri and William Nylander scored for the Maple Leafs, who have lost two in a row.
Auston Matthews had two assists for Toronto.
Craig Anderson made 34 saves in the Ottawa net.
Frederik Andersen stopped 36 shots in the Toronto goal.
Ottawa scored twice in the first period and Toronto had two goals in the second period as the teams entered the third period tied 2-2.
Nylander scored his 16th goal of the season from the right faceoff circle at 2:04 of the third period on a power play to put the Maple Leafs into a 3-2 lead. Ottawa's Zack Smith was serving a hooking penalty.
Hoffman tied the score at 3 with his 19th goal of the season on a shot from the right circle at 5:34 of the third.
The Senators took the lead on a power-play goal at 6:26 of the third with Brassard putting in a rebound for his 10 th goal of the season after a shot from the point by Erik Karlsson. Kadri was serving a holding penalty.
Andersen was removed for an extra attacker with 2:25 to play and Stone scored from the Ottawa end into the empty net for his 25th goal of the season at 18:10. Brassard added another empty-net goal his 11th marker of the season.
The Maple Leafs failed to capitalize when they a two-man advantage for 22 seconds in the first period when Ottawa's Tom Pyatt took a hooking penalty at 12:21 and Kyle Turris went off for holding at 13:59.
Ottawa scored two quick goals late in the first period. Wideman drilled his fourth of the season from the top of the right circle and off a Maple Leafs defender at 17:26.
Dzingel scored his 12th of the season 20 seconds later when he redirected a shot by defenseman Marc Methot.
Toronto outshot Ottawa 15-14 in the first period.
The Senators could not take advantage of a two-advantage in the second period when Toronto's Matt Martin was given an interference penalty at 9:29 followed by a holding penalty to Zach Hyman at 9:40.
Rielly scored his third goal of the season on a shot from near the blue line at 14:38 of the second period to cut Ottawa's lead to 2-1.
Kadri's 24th goal of the season of the season tied the score at 17:52 when his pass from behind the net banked in off Dzingel.
Ottawa had a 30-25 edge in shots on goal after two periods.
NOTES: Toronto C Mitch Marner (right shoulder) did not play Saturday and will also miss the game Sunday against the Carolina Hurricanes. He was injured during the 5-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday. ... Maple Leafs RW Nikita Soshnikov (upper-body injury) returned to the lineup Saturday after missing the previous four games. ... Ottawa D Marc Methot (flu) returned to the lineup Saturday after missing the 3-0 win over the New Jersey Devils Thursday. ... Toronto acquired C Sergey Kalinin from New Jersey for D Viktor Loov, who has been playing with the Toronto Marlies of the AHL. Kalinin, who had two goals and two assists in 43 games with New Jersey, was assigned to the Marlies. ... The Maple Leafs will visit Carolina for a game tomorrow night. ... The Senators will be at home to the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday.