New Jersey 3, Toronto 2
When: 7:00 PM ET, Sunday, March 23, 2014
Where: Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey
Referees:
Chris Lee, Graham Skilliter
Linesmen:
Lonnie Cameron, Bryan Pancich
Attendance:
15328
By SportsDirect Inc.
Devils 3, Maple Leafs 2: Rookie defenseman Jon Merrill recorded his first career two-point performance with a goal and an assist as host New Jersey ended its six-game slide against Toronto.
Damien Brunner and Patrik Elias also scored for the Devils, who climbed within five points of Toronto and Detroit for a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. Cory Schneider made 21 saves as New Jersey evened its record at 2-2-0 on its five-game homestand.
Tyler Bozak and Phil Kessel tallied for the Maple Leafs, who suffered their fifth straight loss and remained one point ahead of idle Washington for a wild card. James Reimer allowed three goals on 10 shots before being replaced by Drew MacIntyre, who turned aside all 14 shots he faced.
Brunner opened the scoring with 5:22 remaining in the first period as he beat Reimer to the glove side from the right faceoff circle during a 2-on-1 rush. Elias doubled the lead 1:18 into the middle session, faking a slap shot in the left circle before deking the goaltender and sliding a backhander into the vacant net.
Merrill made it 3-0 just 32 seconds later, when he one-timed a bouncing puck past Reimer from the top of the left circle - ending the netminder's evening. Toronto got on the board during a power play at 5:26 as Bozak redirected defenseman Morgan Rielly's feed from the left point past Schneider and Kessel scored with 1:31 remaining in the third, but the Maple Leafs were unable to get the equalizer.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Toronto RW David Clarkson had a disappointing homecoming as he finished minus-2 and failed to notch a point in his first game in New Jersey since leaving as a free agent last summer. ... Devils D Anton Volchenkov was scratched after suffering a lower-body injury in Saturday's loss to the New York Rangers. ... MacIntyre made both his Maple Leafs debut and his first NHL appearance since Nov. 25, 2011 with Buffalo. The 30-year-old has come on in relief in all five of his games in the league, including two with Vancouver during the 2007-08 season.
Top Game Performances
| Toronto |
|
New Jersey |
|
Tyler Bozak 1 |
Points |
Jonathon Merrill 2 |
|
Tyler Bozak 1 |
Goals |
Jonathon Merrill 1 |
|
Jake Gardiner 1 |
Assists |
Jonathon Merrill 1 |
|
Tyler Bozak 1 |
Power Play Goals |
N/A |
|
N/A |
Short Handed Goals |
N/A |
|
Drew MacIntyre 1.000 |
Save Percentage |
Cory Schneider .913 |
|
Drew MacIntyre 14 |
Saves |
Cory Schneider 21 |
Team Stats Summary
| Team |
Shots |
Goals |
Power Play |
Penalty Kill |
Penalty Mins |
Face Offs Won |
| Toronto
|
23 |
2 |
1-4 |
2-2 |
4 |
31 |
| New Jersey
|
24 |
3 |
0-2 |
3-4 |
8 |
28 |
Upcoming Games
-
New Jersey will play their next game at home against Phoenix. The Devils have a W/L % of .355 after a win and .488 after a loss.
-
Toronto will play their next game at home against St. Louis. The Maple Leafs have a W/L % of .568 after a win and .417 after a loss.
For more information, contact us