Maple Leafs hold off Wings to end five-game skid
TORONTO -- Alexey Marchenko, James van Riemsdyk and Nazem Kadri each scored a goal, and the Toronto Maple Leafs held on to defeat the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 on Tuesday night.
Mitch Marner and Tyler Bozak added two assists each as the Maple Leafs (29-22-14) jumped out to a 3-0 lead en route to ending a five-game losing streak.
Gustav Nyquist scored two goals and Henrik Zetterberg added two assists for the Red Wings, who lost their third game in a row.
Toronto goaltender Frederik Andersen made 22 stops, and Petr Mrazek made 24 saves for Detroit (25-28-11).
Bolstered by a goal in the final minute of the second period, the Red Wings cut Toronto's lead to 3-2 only 36 seconds into the third period on Nyquist's second of the game and his ninth of the season.
Marchenko, who was claimed off waivers from Detroit on Feb. 4, gave the Maple Leafs the lead at 1:07 of the first period when he pounced on a rebound in the slot to notch his first goal of the season. Marner and Bozak both forced saves, leaving Marchenko with an open goal.
The Maple Leafs took a 2-0 lead on the 20th goal of the season by van Riemsdyk from the edge of the crease at 6:38 of the first on a power play. Niklas Kronwall was serving a holding penalty.
Marner and Bozak also assisted on the second Toronto goal.
Kadri scored his 27th goal of the season from the right faceoff circle at 5:49 of the second period, and the Maple Leafs led 3-0.
Nyquist flipped a backhand behind Andersen at 19:22 of the second period to put Detroit on the board.
NOTES: Detroit D Ryan Sproul could be out for the rest of the season with an injury to the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. When the swelling subsides in 10 to 14 days, a determination will be made if surgery will be required. Sproul was injured in the second period Saturday in a loss to the Edmonton Oilers. D Robbie Russo was called up from AHL Grand Rapids to replace him, and he made his NHL debut Tuesday. ... Detroit RW Gustav Nyquist was able to play Tuesday after an illness kept him out of practice Monday. ... The teams will meet for the fourth and final time this season on April 1 at Detroit. ... The Maple Leafs are home to the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday. ...The Red Wings visit the Boston Bruins on Wednesday to complete a five-game road trip.