Leafs storm back, score six straight Saturday night

The Maple Leafs battled back in a big Saturday night showdown against the Canadiens, scoring six unanswered goals to double up Montreal 6-3.

LEAFS SURRENDER FIRST THREE GOALS OF GAME IN FIRST PERIOD, BUT MATTHEWS CUTS INTO CANADIENS' LEAD EARLY IN SECOND

The Maple Leafs came into Saturday's game at Scotiabank Arena looking to end a three-game losing streak, but they dug themselves a three-goal deficit against the Montreal Canadiens in the first period. Toronto was outshot 20-10 by the Canadiens in the first frame, which was an accurate reflection of the Habs' dominance early on.
However, it was a different Leafs squad that took the ice in the second frame, and after Toronto earned its first power play of the game (after giving Montreal three man advantages in the first) at the 43-second mark of the middle period. From there, centre Auston Matthews beat Canadiens netminder Carey Price with a shot through the legs at 2:13 of the period, and the Buds had their first goal of the night.

Matthews' goal was his 29th of the year, and his fifth goal in his past six games. It brought the Leafs Nation crowd back to life, and was a strong push-back after the Habs asserted themselves in the opening period.

BUDS TURN UP HEAT ON HABS LATE IN SECOND, PULL WITHIN ONE ON ENNIS' POWER PLAY MARKER

Toronto outshot Montreal 15-11 in the second, and although the Canadiens leaned on Price and a defensive attack that collapsed well around Price, the Leafs pressured the Habs into another penalty late in the frame. And that power play soon lead to Toronto's second goal of the evening - a Tyler Ennis goal perfectly arranged by forward Patrick Marleau from the left of Price:

Ennis' goal was his eighth of the season, and it brought Toronto within a single goal of tying the game. Toronto's first period was forgettable in many ways, but to the Leafs' credit, they put it in the past and slowly chipped away at Montreal's lead.

NYLANDER TIES IT ON FORTUNATE BOUNCE OFF BOARDS; HYMAN POTS GAME-WINNER LATE IN REGULATION

The Leafs continued to apply pressure to the visitors as the third period unfolded - and at the 6:58 mark, Toronto was the beneficiary of a bizarre bounce of the puck: Marleau fired it into the Canadiens' zone, but as Price left his net in an attempt to gain control of it, the puck bounced from the side boards directly in front of the net and right to winger William Nylander, who made no mistake and fired it across the goal line for Nylander's fourth of the season and a tie game:

Sometimes, even the very best NHL teams need a little bit of puck luck to help them out, and the Leafs certainly got some on Nylander's goal. But Toronto's work ethic in rebounding from their first period letdown was what put them in a position to have a lucky bounce tie the game - and perhaps even take their first lead of the night, just in time.
And that's what happened with 1:50 left in regulation, when a shot by winger Mitch Marner led to a rebound directly in front of Price, and winger Zach Hyman batted it in to give the Leafs a 4-3 lead:

The Buds sealed the victory with an empty-netter from Andreas Johnsson with 58 seconds left in regulation, and then Hyman was awarded his second goal of the game on a breakaway interference call.

The Leafs get full marks for resilience and passion in overcoming their first-period showing. They'll have Sunday off before hosting the Buffalo Sabres Monday, and if they can play the way they did in the final 40 minutes of Saturday's showdown, the Leafs could put together a win streak.