Matthews delivers in return, lifts Leafs past Rangers
NEW YORK -- Auston Matthews had a goal and an assist in his first game back from a concussion as the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the New York Rangers 3-2 at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night in each team's final game before a three-day holiday break.
William Nylander also had a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs. Ron Hainsey had a goal and Morgan Rielly had two assists for the Maple Leafs.
Goaltender Frederik Andersen stopped 30 saves to stop Toronto's four-game road losing streak.
Jimmy Vesey and J.T. Miller had the Rangers' goals. Henrik Lundqvist made 34 saves for New York.
Nylander's seventh goal with 2:56 remaining in the first period gave the Maple Leafs a 1-0 advantage. Nylander's wrist shot from the right circle that squeezed between Lundqvist's blocker arm and body came seconds after Lundqvist denied Matthews on the doorstep with a lunging blocker save.
Hainsey extended the lead to 2-0 with a power-play goal 50 seconds into the second period. He ripped a one-timer from near the blue line that bounced off the left goal post and into the net for his third goal of the season.
Andersen allowed the Rangers to cut the lead in half 1:47 later when he misplayed a puck at the side of net and Vesey gathered it and scored on a wraparound with the goaltender unable to get back into position.
Matthews restored the two-goal lead at 11:22 as he patiently outwaited Lundqvist near the crease and stashed a backhander past a fallen goaltender for his 14th goal in 27 games this season.
Miller brought the Rangers to within 3-2 with 8:35 remaining in the third period. He took a pass from Pavel Buchnevich and beat Andersen between the legs for his seventh goal of the season.
Michael Grabner appeared to tie the game 44 seconds later, but his goal was overturned after video review showed that teammate Kevin Hayes was offside as Grabner entered the zone.
NOTES: Leafs C Auston Matthews played for the first time since Dec. 9 after missing six games. ... Leafs LW Kasperi Kapanen was scratched to make room for Matthews in the lineup. ... The Leafs also scratched D Martin Marincin and LW Josh Leivo. ... Rangers C Boo Nieves returned to the lineup after a two-game absence. He replaced RW Jesper Fast, who will miss the next two to three weeks with a quad strain. ... Rangers D Steven Kampfer hasn't played since Nov. 28.