Toronto split its preseason group in two and swept Ottawa on Wednesday, with Sergei Bobrovsky stopping 13 shots in a 6-1 win at Scotiabank Arena and Anthony Stolarz making 19 saves in a 4-2 decision at Canadian Tire Centre. John Tavares and Auston Matthews each finished with a goal and two assists in the Toronto home victory.
After the horn
At Scotiabank Arena, Tim Stutzle gave Ottawa the early edge. He drove up the left wing, cut through the crease and finished with a backhand at 6:35 of the opening period.
Toronto answered 70 seconds later when Jake McCabe forced a loose puck over the line from the right side of the net. Tavares then sent the Maple Leafs to intermission ahead 2-1, converting from the low left circle at 19:09 after joining William Nylander on a two-on-one.
Jack Roslovic extended the lead on a second-period power play at 4:49, putting home a rebound after Tavares had worked at the puck near the right post. Zack MacEwen tipped Easton Cowan’s feed on another two-on-one at 16:53, and Morgan Rielly’s wrist shot from the left circle made it 5-1 before the second-period horn.
Matthews supplied the final Toronto goal at 6:10 of the third, beating Leevi Merilainen high to the far side from the left circle. Merilainen made 21 saves before Jackson Parsons entered following the Matthews goal and turned aside nine shots.
Across town, Ryan Tverberg snapped a 2-2 tie late in the third period as Toronto beat Ottawa 4-2. Teddy Blueger sealed it into an empty net with eight seconds remaining.
The first period was scoreless at Canadian Tire Centre before Henrik Rybinski opened the scoring on a Toronto power play at 3:51 of the second. He collected the rebound from Vinni Lettieri’s shot and finished from the left side.
Dylan Cozens tied it at 6:18 after taking the puck from Toronto defenseman Blake Smith in the offensive zone and firing a slot wrist shot past Stolarz. Steven Lorentz restored the Leafs’ lead at 10:01 by deflecting Marshall Rifai’s attempt, but Hoyt Stanley answered 41 seconds later with a backhand to make it 2-2.
Tverberg broke through at 15:43 of the third, firing a snap shot from the left dot. Linus Ullmark made 20 saves for Ottawa.
Stars blank Wild
Remi Poirier posted a 24-save shutout as Dallas earned a 2-0 win over Minnesota at American Airlines Center. Jesper Wallstedt stopped 22 shots for the Wild.
Matthew Seminoff broke the deadlock at 15:33 of the second period, finishing from the slot after Kyle Capobianco fed the puck from near the left side of the goal. Capobianco had two assists.
Esa Lindell provided the insurance at 10:39 of the third, wiring a wrist shot from the left faceoff dot.
Kings rally past Ducks
Anton Forsberg made 24 saves and Los Angeles came from behind for a 2-1 win against Anaheim at Honda Center. Lukas Dostal stopped 17 shots for the Ducks.
Anaheim rookie Ethan Procyszyn opened the scoring at 8:41 of the first period, cleaning up a rebound in the crease after the puck had slipped behind Forsberg.
Alex Laferriere drew the Kings level at 18:56. Andre Lee’s shot bounced off the end boards, leaving Laferriere an open net for a backhand finish.
Joel Armia gave Los Angeles the lead just 41 seconds later, finishing high from the right circle on a two-on-one rush.
