Gardiner's OT goal lifts Maple Leafs past Jets
TORONTO --Jake Gardiner scored 2:29 into overtime to give the Toronto Maple Leafs a 5-4 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night.
Leo Komarov scored twice for the Maple Leafs (28-20-11) with Nazem Kadri and William Nylander also scored. Toronto won its second straight game.
Patrik Laine scored twice for the Jets (28-29-6) and Bryan Little and Nikolaj Ehlers added a goal apiece.
Frederik Andersen stopped 16 shots in the Toronto goal while Connor Hellebuyck made 32 saves in the Jets' net.
The Jets took a 4-3 lead into the third period after a hectic second period in which they regained the lead in the final seconds. There were skirmishes at the end of the period and the beginning of the third.
Nylander tied the game for Toronto at 3:30 of the third with his 17th goal of the season while the Maple Leafs were on the power play.
The Maple Leafs again were on the power play at 16:10 of the third when Dustin Byfuglien was penalized for interference on the goaltender but the Jets held them off.
The Jets went on the power play at 19:34 of the third when Auston Matthews was sent off for hooking. The man advantage carried over into the overtime, but Winnipeg could not capitalize.
The Maple Leafs scored at 1:02 of the first period. Komarov got his first goal of the game from a drastic angle when his shot from near the boards went almost parallel to the line before banking in off Hellebuyck's skates.
The Jets tied it at 4:25 when Laine drilled a shot from the left circle for his first goal of the game.
Winnipeg took a 2-1 lead on a power-play goal at 10:33 when Little knocked the rebound of Dustin Byfuglien's shot for his 17th goal of the season with Nazem Kadri serving a tripping penalty.
The Jets put the puck in the net on a power play with five seconds left in the first period, but it was ruled no goal because the puck was hit by a high stick.
Toronto had a 15-8 edge in shots on goal in the first period.
Blue Jays defenseman Connor Carrick suffered an upper-body injury in the first period and did not return.
The Maple Leafs tied the score 2-2 at 15:52 of the second period when Josh Leivo's pass found Kadri alone near the goal and he flicked in a backhand from the edge of the crease for his 25th goal of the season.
The Jets regained the lead at 17:24 later when Ehlers scored his 20th goal of the season, deflecting a shot by Josh Morrissey.
Komarov tied the score at 3 with his second goal of the game and his 10th of the season from the low slot at 19:28 of the second on a power play. Ehlers was off for holding.
The Jets again went ahead with 2.3 seconds left in the second period on the second goal of the game and 30th of the season by Laine.
NOTES: Toronto C Mitch Marner (right shoulder) was put on injured reserve. The rookie was hurt in a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday and has missed both games since. Marner has 15 goals and 33 assists. ... The Maple Leafs recalled C Frederik Gauthier from the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League. He has two goals and one assist in 18 games with the Marlies this season. ... Winnipeg D Jacob Trouba started a two-game suspension. The league imposed the ban Monday for an illegal hit to the head against Ottawa RW Mark Stone in the third period Sunday. ... The Maple Leafs play the New York Rangers on Thursday at the Air Canada Centre. ... The Jets' next game is Feb. 28, when they open a six-game homestand against the Minnesota Wild.