Takeaways - Leafs vs. Rangers - 12/22/18

MARLEAU PUTS LEAFS AHEAD WITH LONE GOAL OF FIRST FRAME
The Maple Leafs were hosting the New York Rangers at Scotiabank Arena Saturday, and Toronto was aiming to win its third straight game. The Leafs bolstered their chances of doing so by producing the game's first goal at 2:58 of the first period:

BUDS KEEP PRESSURE ON RANGERS, BUT VISITORS EVEN SCORE LATE IN SECOND
The Leafs continued to keep the heat on the Rangers at the beginning of the second, but as the period unfolded, the Rangers began to turn the tables on Toronto: first, they killed off a four-minute, double-minor call on D-man Adam McQuaid. Then, at the 15:00 mark, Blueshirts blueliner Neal Pionk fired a shot at the net as there was traffic to the right of Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen, and the puck went in to tie the game at one goal apiece.

    By the time the second period ended, the Rangers were the team that had the momentum, the game was tied, and Andersen's strong play in net was the reason Toronto wasn't trailing.<br><strong><em>LEAFS RE-TAKE LEAD ON MARNER GOAL EARLY IN THIRD; RIELLY ADDS INSURANCE MARKER, AND MARNER SCORES TWO MORE FOR HAT TRICK, BUDS WIN</em></strong><br>Toronto began the third period looking like the focused squad that started the night, and after a quick cycle of pressure in the frame, winger Andreas Johnsson knocked in a rebound off a John Tavares shot at 1:37 of the third for his eighth goal of the year:

The Leafs quickly added another goal less than four minutes later, when Rielly capitalized on a superb cross-ice pass from winger Johnsson and netted his 12th of the season at 5:26:

Rielly's goal was important, as the Rangers weren't done competing and scored their second goal of the game 68 seconds later to cut Toronto's lead to 3-2. However, at the 12:53 mark, centre John Tavares made a sensational behind-the-back pass to Marner, who broke in all alone on Georgiev and put the puck in the net to the goalie's left side for Marner's first goal of the night and a 4-2 Leafs lead:

Marner's goal also was important, as the Blueshirts cut the Leafs' lead to 4-3 with 3:41 left in regulation time. But Marner and the Leafs weren't going to be denied the win, and Marner assured Toronto of its third straight victory when he scored into an empty Rangers net (after they'd pulled Georgiev for the extra attacker) with 20 seconds left in the third for his second of the game:

The Rangers pushed the Leafs, but Toronto pushed back, and because of their resilience, they have a chance at making it a four-game win streak Sunday night when they host the Detroit Red Wings at Scotiabank Arena. Toronto's offence is in top form, and the Leafs will be out to avenge a 5-4 loss to the Wings Dec. 6.