Maple Leafs defeat Flyers for second straight win
TORONTO -- William Nylander, Tyler Bozak, Mitch Marner and Nazem Kadri each scored a goal and the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 4-2 on Thursday night for their second straight win.
Wayne Simmonds gave the Flyers (31-27-8) the lead with a power-play goal in the first period. Nylander tied the game for the Maple Leafs (30-22-14) in the first on the power play and Bozak's even-handed goal gave Toronto the lead in the second.
Shayne Gostisbehere scored a third-period goal for the Flyers and Kadri added an empty-net goal for Toronto.
Bozak added an assist for Toronto.
Frederik Andersen made 36 saves in the Toronto goal, while Flyers netminder Michal Neuvirth stopped 31 shots.
The Flyers had a chance to tie the Maple Leafs in the standings with a regulation-time victory as both teams are close to a playoff spot.
The Maple Leafs took the season series from the Flyers 2-1 with each team winning at home.
The Flyers went on the power play at 9:53 of the third period when Toronto defenseman Nikita Zaitsev took an interference penalty but failed to capitalize.
The Maple Leafs took advantage of their power-play opportunity at 13:44 of the third when Marner scored his 16th goal of the season with Brayden Schenn off for tripping.
Gostisbehere scored his sixth goal of the season from the right circle at 17:32 to cut the lead to 3-2. Kadri scored his 28th goal of the season into an empty net at 19:00.
Simmonds scored his 28th goal of the season on a power play at 6:09 of the first period after a shot from the point by Gostisbehere hit the crossbar. Toronto's Mitch Marner was serving a tripping penalty.
Nylander drilled a shot from the right circle for his 18th goal of the season, also on a power play, at 13:57 of the first to tie the game. Philadelphia's Radko Gudas was serving an interference penalty.
Bozak put Toronto into a 2-1 lead with an unassisted goal at 9:28 of the second period for his 16th of the season on a shot from the right circle after he took the puck away from a Flyer. The goal came after Andersen made two good saves at the other end.
NOTES: Philadelphia G Michal Neuvirth was a surprise starter Thursday. G Steve Mason had started the four previous games in which he had a 1.45 goals-against average and a .945 save percentage and the team was 3-0-1. Neuvirth entered Thursday with a 10-9-1 record and a 2.90 goals-against average against Toronto in his career. He helped beat the Maple Leafs 2-1 Jan. 24 in Philadelphia. Mason is 4-6-2 with a 3.43 goals-against average in his career against Toronto. He was in the nets when the Flyers lost 6-3 at Toronto Nov. 11. ... Toronto C Tyler Bozak (undisclosed), who missed the morning skate and was a game-time decision, played Thursday. ... The Maple Leafs open a three-game trip when they visit the Carolina Hurricanes Saturday. ... The Flyers end a four-game trip Saturday with a game against the Boston Bruins.