Maple Leafs 4, Ducks 0
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Goalie Jonathan Bernier tied a season high with 39 saves for his second shutout while right winger Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau scored two goals to lead the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 4-0 rout of the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday night in front of 16,283 at the Honda Center.
Center Tyler Bozak added two assists, giving him the team lead with 18, and defender Dion Phaneuf contributed his 300th career assist for the Maple Leafs (16-15-7), who now won three consecutive games and six of their past eight. The Ducks (16-16-7) entered the contest having won four of their previous five.
Anaheim goalie John Gibson, named to the Pacific Division's team for the NHL All-Star Game, left 41 seconds into the third period after Leafs center Nazem Kadri collided with him. Kadri slipped while attempting an off-balance shot, and his left leg hit Gibson's right hip.
Frederik Andersen replaced Gibson, who stopped 22 shots.
Despite not registering a shot on goal for the first 5 minutes, 16 seconds, Toronto took a 1-0 lead on Parenteau's 10th goal. Bozak began the scoring sequence by winning a faceoff in Anaheim's end and sending the puck to defenseman Matt Hunwick, who fired a shot from just inside the blue line. But Hunwick's shot hit a player and the puck ricocheted to Parenteau, who converted from the slot at 8:54 of the first period.
Parenteau's shot was just the Leafs' third on goal.
Toronto extended its lead to 3-0 in the second period by scoring twice within five minutes. Parenteau converted the rebound of left winger James van Riemsdyk's backhanded shot for his 11th goal at 7:38. Then at 12:35, Kadri culminated a 3-on-2 rush with his eighth goal.
With Kadri trailing the play, right winger Leo Komarov faked a slap shot at the right circle to freeze Ducks defenseman Kevin Bieksa before sending a cross-ice pass to Kadri, who fired a wrist shot from the left circle.
Right winger Brad Boyes ended the scoring 2:47 into the third period. Boyes deflected Phaneuf's shot from the right point off Anaheim defenseman Sami Vatanen and past Andersen for his fourth goal. Phaneuf earned his 300th career assist on the play.
NOTES: Wednesday marked the one-year anniversary of Randy Carlyle's dismissal as Maple Leafs coach. He directed the Ducks to their only Stanley Cup in 2007. Current Leafs coach Mike Babcock led Anaheim to the 2003 Cup final, won by the New Jersey Devils. ... Toronto scratched G Antoine Bibeau, D Frank Corrado and C Byron Froese. ... Leafs C Nazem Kadri had 11 points in his past 11 games going into Wednesday. Kadri began the season with just nine points in his first 26 games. ... Anaheim scratched D Clayton Stoner and LW Jiri Sekac. ... Ducks G John Gibson was named the NHL's rookie of the month for December. Gibson compiled a 5-3-1 record with three shutouts, a 1.62 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage last month.