After being shutout on Saturday by their provincial rivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs responded with a 2-1 win to cool off the red-hot New York Islanders at the Air Canada Centre on Tuesday.
Toronto opened up the scoring, when Clarke MacArthur wristed the puck past Al Montoya at the 10:13 mark of the first period. MacArthur's goal put an end to his seven game goalless drought and was his 18th of the season which set a new career-high for the pending free agent. Nikolai Kulemin was credited with the assist on the goal for his 21st of the season.
The Islanders answered in the second period, when with Mike Komisarek in the penalty box for holding, Matt Moulson scored a power play goal to tie up the game at one. Moulson's goal was his 27th of the season and his sixth in three games. Defenceman Andrew MacDonald was credited with the assist on the goal which came at the 8:09 mark of the second.
Moulson's goal also put an end to Leafs goaltender James Reimer's shutout streak. After blanking the Ottawa Senators on Saturday and holding the Isles goalless into the second period of Tuesday's game, Reimer's shutout streak lasted 102:49 before Moulson's marker.
The Leafs were able to reclaim the lead late in regulation as Phil Kessel made a great end-to-end individual effort and fired the puck by Montoya to put Toronto up 2-1. The goal was Kessel's 23rd of the season and fourth in as many games. The goal was unassisted and came at the 15:18 mark of the third.
Toronto would hang on for the win as James Reimer stopped 28 of 29 shots to pick up his ninth win of the season. Reimer's win was just his second at home in five starts, but he has played well with little offense in front of him. The Leafs have been held to two goals or less in three consecutive games, but have gone 2-0-1 despite their limited offense.
Tuesday's loss in Toronto was Al Montoya's first in an Islanders uniform after being acquired from the Phoenix Coyotes on Feb. 9. The loss drops his record to 3-1-0 in five appearances with the Isles since the trade.
After a lengthy goalless drought that spanned 14 games, the Leafs are happy to have Kessel producing once again. Toronto are an impressive 14-4-1 when the 23-year old all-star has scored this season. Kessel's goal on Tuesday was also his first at the ACC in nine games.
Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf said that he was happy to see Kessel scoring again and that it was important for the team.
"It was a big goal for Phil" Phaneuf said following the Leafs' 2-1 win. "He's been playing well, he's been getting a lot of chances, and it's good to see the puck going in for him."
"It's great to see him getting rewarded. He's been playing well and it's a big goal for our team that he scored."
James Reimer echoed Phaneuf's sentiments, praising Kessel's goal and his shooting ability.
"Phil's a heck of a player," Reimer stated. "He shoots the puck well and he makes me look foolish in practice all the time. I know he can shoot the puck well and I kind of had a feeling when he picked it up he might do something, and sure enough he potted it."
MacArthur's goal on Tuesday could not have come at a better time as the forward's agent, Don Meehan, and Leafs general manager Brian Burke reportedly began negotiations on Tuesday towards a contract extension. MacArthur leads the Leafs in assists (29) and points (46), and is set to become a restricted free agent at the end of the season.
Following the game, MacArthur said that contract negotiations were on his mind, but that he tried to just focus on the game at hand and the Leafs' playoff push.
"Obviously I'm hearing it every day so maybe it's in the back of my mind a little bit," MacArthur confessed. "We're trying to make the playoffs here and tonight was a big push towards that and that's the main focus. What's going to happen is what's going to happen, but as long as I'm here with this team, we're trying to make the playoffs."
The Leafs gained ground in their push for the final playoff spot on Tuesday. The eighth seed Carolina Hurricanes lost in a shootout to the New York Rangers, putting Toronto six points back of the final playoff position in the Eastern Conference.
The Leafs will look to keep their winning ways alive and continue their climb up the standings as they head to Montreal to take on the Habs on Thursday.
Islanders vs. Leafs Stats Recap
Shots
NYI: 29
TOR: 25
Shot Leaders
NYI: Matt Moulson (5)
TOR: Clarke MacArthur (4)
Power Play
NYI: 1/6
TOR: 0/3
Blocked Shots
NYI: 18
TOR: 12
Blocked Shot Leaders
NYI: Travis Hamonic and Jack Hillen tied (4)
TOR: Carl Gunnarsson and Mike Komisarek tied (3)
Hits
NYI: 28
TOR: 28
Hits Leaders
NYI: Five players tied (3)
TOR: Keith Aulie and Luke Schenn tied (5)
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