Marner lifts Maple Leafs by Golden Knights
TORONTO -- Mitch Marner scored the only goal of a shootout as the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 on Monday night.
The Maple Leafs were playing at home for the first time since going 1-3-0 on a road trip, and the Golden Knights dropped to 1-3-1 with one game left on a six-game trip.
The Maple Leafs led 3-1 after the first period and 3-2 after two periods.
Nazem Kadri scored two goals and James van Riemsdyk scored the other for the Maple Leafs (9-7-0). Frederik Andersen made 25 saves in the Toronto goal.
James Neal, Reilly Smith and Deryk Engelland scored for the Golden Knights (9-4-1). Maxime Lagace stopped 22 shots for Vegas.
The Maple Leafs opened the scoring with a power-play goal by Kadri, who knocked in the rebound from a point shot by Morgan Rielly at 4:14 of the first period.
The Golden Knights tied the score 38 seconds later when Neal deflected a shot by Erik Haula for his eighth goal of the season.
The Maple Leafs regained the lead at 9:31 of the first on the sixth goal of the season by van Riemsdyk with a strong rush by Auston Matthews setting up the play.
Kadri scored his eighth of the season at 15:03 of the first period on a pass from Patrick Marleau.
The Maple Leafs withstood the Golden Knights' five-on-three power play for 1:12 with about seven minutes left in the second period.
Smith scored his fifth goal of the season at 18:50 of the second on a power play, slamming in a rebound after a shot by Colin Miller.
Engelland snapped his second goal of the season from the top of the right circle over Andersen's shoulder on the stick side to tie the score 3-3 at 6:16 of the third.
Andersen made a big save on Haula's close-in attempt with 1:03 to play in regulation.
NOTES: Maple Leafs C Auston Matthews was in the starting lineup Monday after he left the morning skate early and was listed as a game-time decision by coach Mike Babcock because of "a little soreness." ... Vegas LW Brendan Leipsic returned to the lineup Monday after not playing in the five previous games. He was plucked from the Maple Leafs in the June 21 expansion draft. ... The Golden Knights conclude their six-game road trip Tuesday against the Montreal Canadiens. ... The Maple Leafs will host the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday.