For the latest Leafs updates or Follow @mikeinbuffalo on Twitter The Toronto Maple Leafs extended their winning streak to three games with a 5-4 victory over the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday, in spite of putting forth an inconsistent defensive effort and blowing a two-goal lead in the third period. Zach Hyman scored the opening goal, but defensive errors by the pairing of Jake Gardiner and Nikita Zaitsev led to Magnus Paajarvi’s tying marker and Matt Duchene 22nd of the season. The Leafs rallied in the second period with three goals from Andreas Johnsson, Auston Matthews and John Tavares, but Thomas Chabot and Paajarvi tied the game less than four minutes into the third before Morgan Rielly scored the game-winner midway through the final period. “The bottom line is I thought we were really ready to play, I thought we started and I thought we were playing well. Then we just got careless and we never really seemed to be able to get it back.… Leafs head coach Mike Babcock said after the game. “At the same time, when you're a good team, you win games sometimes that aren't very pretty, but you still won. At the end, when we get up tomorrow and look at the standings, it's going to be pretty.… The win moved the Leafs three points ahead of both Boston and Montreal for second place in the Atlantic Division. Toronto will go head-to-head with the Habs on Saturday at the Bell Centre, in the first of a six-game, 14-day road trip.
Shinny with a view. #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/TdpyZzral2
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) February 7, 2019
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Sabres reporter Mike Harrington via Twitter says that Leafs Asst. GM Laurence Gilman is in attendance at the Buffalo - Carolina game at Key Bank Center on Thursday. This following an increased presence of Hurricanes scouts at Scotiabank Arena earlier in the week.
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