Maple Leafs 3, Oilers 0
TORONTO -- Garret Sparks made 24 saves to earn a shutout in his NHL debut Monday and the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Edmonton Oilers 3-0.
The Maple Leafs victory behind a goaltender called up from the American Hockey League Toronto Marlies ended their three-game losing streak.
It was Toronto's first shutout of the season.
Center Leo Komarov scored twice, including one into an empty net, and center Nazem Kadri added a goal for the Maple Leafs (8-11-5). Left winger James van Riemsdyk had three assists,
The Oilers (8-15-2) hit goal posts twice in the second period and ended a five-game road trip with a 1-3-1 record.
Oilers goaltender Anders Nilsson made 24 stops.
The Maple Leafs took the lead early with a power-play goal by Komarov at 6:45 of the first period. He chipped in a pass into the slot from van Riemsdyk for his career-best ninth goal of the season with Oilers center Leon Draisaitl serving a hooking penalty.
The Maple Leafs were playing a tight defensive game but Oilers defenseman Justin Schultz snuck up to find an opening only to ring a shot off the post with 13 minutes to play in the second period.
The Oilers hit the post again with six minutes left in the second on a shot by center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
The Maple Leafs were outshot 8-3 in the first period but by the end of the second each team had 16 shots on goal.
The Oilers started the third period on a power play after defenseman Matt Hunwick took a hooking penalty at 19:02 of the second period. But the Oilers failed to generate an attack, while giving up a pair of two-on-one Maple Leafs' breakouts that nearly put them further behind.
The Maple Leafs scored at 7:33 of the third period when Kadri deflected a shot from the point by defenseman Jake Gardiner for his third goal of the season.
The Oilers went on the power play at 15:02 of the third when Gardiner took a tripping penalty. Sparks was tested immediately by left winger Taylor Hall and made the save.
Komarov scored his 10th goal of the season into an empty net at 18:59.
NOTES: Toronto G Garret Sparks, 22, made his NHL debut Monday, replacing G Jonathan Bernier, who has struggled. G James Reimer (leg), the Leafs' best goalie this season, missed his second straight game. In 11 games with the Toronto Marlies of the AHL, Sparks has a goals-against average of 1.90 and a save percentage of .938. ... Toronto RW Joffrey Lupul missed his first game of the season Monday to rest nagging injuries. Maple Leafs C Daniel Winnik returned to the lineup after a two-game absence. ... Oilers rookie C Connor McDavid (fractured left clavicle), who has been rehabilitating in Toronto, said he is progressing well but no return date has been set. When he was injured Nov. 3, the prognosis was eight to 12 weeks. ... The Leafs begin a three-game trip Wednesday in Winnipeg against the Jets. ... The Oilers open a five-game homestand Wednesday against the Boston Bruins.