Pierre Engvall netted a short-handed goal with just 4:42 remaining in the third period, lifting the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 3-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night.
Engvall broke away on a 2-on-1 rush with Ilya Mikheyev, who was just out of the penalty box after serving a double minor for high-sticking. Engvall hesitated before shooting his 11th goal of the season past Nico Daws.
“It was a hard-fought, tight game,” said Mark Giordano, making his debut for the Maple Leafs. “We had to stay patient. Our penalty kill was the difference.”
Mikheyev also scored a short-handed goal, and Mitch Marner added another for Toronto, which saw Petr Mrazek make 20 saves.
“We do a pretty good job closing it up for the other team,” Engvall said of the Leafs’ short-handed strategy. There is good structure there, and then we use the speed to create chances.”
Nico Hischier scored a goal and an assist, and Damon Severson scored for New Jersey. Daws stopped 28 shots.
“Our 5-on-5 play frustrated them,” Devils coach Lindy Ruff said. We limited their top guys. The couple of plays we made 5-on-4 absolutely killed us.”
Giordano played his first game for his hometown team following a Sunday trade that brought the 38-year-old defenseman and forward Colin Blackwell from the Seattle Kraken. Giordano paired with Timothy Liljegren, while Blackwell joined the fourth line with Jason Spezza and Wayne Simmonds.
“I felt good all day,” Giordano said. “I remember coming here when I was a young guy, and you had all the nerves.”
The Devils, who beat the New York Rangers 7-4 on Tuesday, opened the scoring at 5:03 of the second period on a power play. Severson’s pass to Jack Hughes deflected off a sliding Ilya Lyubushkin and went through Mrazek’s pads.
Toronto tied it at 12:30 when Mikheyev sped past P.K. Subban and beat Daws.
The Devils regained the lead at 13:56, just after an Auston Matthews penalty expired, with Hischier poking a loose puck home in the crease.
But Toronto answered 58 seconds later when Marner took a pass from Matthews and blasted a one-timer past Daws, setting a career-high with his 27th goal of the season.
“Been getting myself in good areas and giving myself good opportunities,” Marner said. “A lot of those have gone in.”
Matthews also tied a career-best with his 80th point of the season on the assist.
Game notes
Mrazek made his first start since the March 13 Heritage Classic in Hamilton after clearing waivers on Monday. … Jack Campbell hasn’t played since March 8 due to a rib injury. … Toronto wore the team’s black Next Gen uniform, designed in collaboration with Canadian pop star and Maple Leafs fan Justin Bieber. The uniform is the first reversible jersey in North American pro sports and the 15th alternate set in club history. Bieber watched the game from a private suite.
UP NEXT
- Devils: At Washington on Saturday night.
- Maple Leafs: At Montreal on Saturday night.
