Grabner scores twice as Rangers beat Maple Leafs
TORONTO -- Michael Grabner scored two third-period goals, Brady Skjei scored a goal and added an assist, and the New York Rangers defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2 on Thursday night to end a three-game losing streak.
Henrik Lundqvist, who allowed seven goals in two periods in a 7-6 loss to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday, made 23 saves in the Rangers' net.
Pavel Buchnevich and J.T. Miller also scored for the Rangers (29-16-1).
Tyler Bozak and Zach Hyman scored for the Maple Leafs (21-14-8). Frederik Andersen made 36 saves in for Toronto, which won its previous three games.
The Rangers took a 3-2 lead into the third period and increased the margin on short-handed goal by Grabner at 14:57. Grabner's first goal of the game came with New York's Oscar Lindberg serving a tripping penalty.
Grabner scored into an empty net at 17:03, his 21st of the season.
Skjei scored his second goal of the season on a wrist shot from the upper slot at 6:42 of the first period, set up by pass from Mats Zuccarello, and New York led 1-0.
The Maple Leafs tied the game at 10:16 on the 11th goal of the season by Bozak, who was in the low slot when be converted a pass from Mitch Marner.
The Rangers regained the lead on the sixth goal of the season by Buchnevich at 14:44 of the first after a scramble around the Maple Leafs net. The puck was kicked toward the goal but Buchnevich then directed the puck into the net with his stick so the play stood after a review.
Miller's 15th goal of the season, on a shot from the right faceoff circle at 9:02 of the second period, put New York up 3-1. It came on the counter after Marner broke in alone on the Rangers' goal and had his backhand slip wide of the right post.
The Maple Leafs scored while short-handed at 16:02 of the second when Hyman took the puck off Rangers defenseman Adam Clendening near the net and scored his sixth goal of the season. It came with 10 seconds left in a slashing penalty to Toronto defenseman Frank Corrado.
NOTES: Toronto D Morgan Rielly (lower-body injury) left the game Tuesday in the first period after falling awkwardly on his right knee and did not play Thursday. He is listed as day-to-day. D Frank Corrado took Rielly's roster spot and played in his second game of the season for the Maple Leafs. ... Rangers RW Jesper Fast (upper-body injury) will miss one week to 10 days, according to the team. ... New York LW Chris Kreider was fined $5,000 by the league for hitting Dallas Stars C Cody Eakin with his own helmet during a fight in the Rangers' 7-6 loss on Tuesday. ... The Maple Leafs play the third game of four in a row at home Saturday against the Ottawa Senators. ... The Rangers play their next game Sunday, when they visit the Detroit Red Wings.