Campbell, Maple Leafs shut out Senators for third straight win

TORONTO --Jack Campbell made 23 saves for his fourth shutout of the season, helping the Toronto Maple Leafs defeat the Ottawa Senators 6-0 at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday

"It was an impressive game from the boys in front of me tonight," Campbell said. "They were playing super fast, and doing everything that our coaches had talked about. It was a fun time out there and great to be back. The boys were awesome, and it speaks volumes about us. Ottawa had been playing well and are skilled offensively. When you hold them to 23 shots and not a lot of great looks, it's a credit to the boys in front of me."
Ilya Mikheyev and William Nylander each scored twice, and TJ Brodie had a goal and two assists for the Maple Leafs (21-8-2), who were playing for the first time since a 5-1 win against the Edmonton Oilers on Dec. 14, and have won three games in a row.
"I thought we did a good job early in the game not giving them any life or any opportunities to get towards our net," Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe said. "I just thought we had a really good effort from our defense as a whole tonight."

Matt Murray made 34 saves for the Senators (9-18-2), who were playing for the first time since a 4-3 overtime loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Dec. 18. Murray made his first NHL start since Nov. 24, a 6-3 loss to the San Jose Sharks, after being recalled from Belleville of the American Hockey League on Dec. 28.
"I didn't think we were sharp," Ottawa coach D.J. Smith said. "We didn't create a whole lot and they took it to us. We've got to be better. It's pro hockey, you have to be ready. Our details weren't very good tonight, there's no excuses. You have to be better."
Justin Holl put the Maple Leafs up 1-0 at 14:06 of the first period with a shorthanded goal after taking a pass from David Kampf on a 2-on-1. The goal ended a 46-game goal drought for the defenseman.
Mikheyev made it 2-0 with a shorthanded goal on a breakaway at 14:33.
"We talked about being above them all night and then we have our first opportunity on the power play to score yet they end up with two," Smith said.
Toronto outshot Ottawa 8-0 to start the game until Drake Batherson had the Senators first shot at 10:47. The Maple Leafs outshot the Senators 11-4 in the first period.
Brodie scored on a wraparound at 7:18 of the second period to make it 3-0.
Nylander made it 4-0 on a breakaway at 13:41 of the third period before Mikheyev scored his second of the game at 14:42 on the power play to extend the lead to 5-0.
"Of course, it's good for me to score twice but it was more important we won the game after not playing for two weeks. It was good for us," Mikheyev said.

Nylander made it 6-0 at 17:14 with his second goal of the game.
"We weren't jumping out of the gates and controlling they play. They did, and they were the whole game," Ottawa defenseman Nick Holden said. "We would have liked to have been able to jump right back into games, and building off the momentum we were building before Christmas (going 5-3-0 the eight games before the holiday break). That's all part of being a professional; you have to take what's given to you and play that consistent game."
The game was played without fans in attendance due to COVID-19 restrictions in Ontario.
"I was happy with the energy on our bench, the chatter, and the guys talking to each other and pushing each other," Keefe said. "Our guys were really engaged in the game but in terms of not having the fans, it's different. We've been through it before, so I don't think it's as much of an adjustment, but we miss the fans. I didn't think the game itself had a whole lot of emotion and that tends to ramp up with fans in the building."
NOTES:Maple Leafs forward Mitchell Marner had two shots on goal in 19:26 of ice time in his first game since Dec. 1. He sustained a shoulder injury during practice on Dec. 3. … Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews had a 10-game point streak end (18 points; 13 goals, five assists). … Senators defenseman
Jacob Bernard-Docker
entered NHL COVID-19 protocol on Saturday. … Toronto's two shorthanded goals in 27 seconds tied the franchise record set by Borje Salming and Greg Terrion on Nov. 16, 1986. ... Maple Leafs captain John Tavares recorded an assist in his 900th NHL game. Drafted first overall by the New York Islanders in the 2009 NHL Draft, Tavares played 669 games for the organization before signing as a free agent with Toronto on July 1, 2018. … Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Muzzin, who exited NHL COVID-19 Protocol on Friday, was a game-time decision and did not play. Keefe said he expects him to play on Wednesday against the Edmonton Oilers. … Maple Leafs defenseman Rasmus Sandin had an assist and one blocked shot in 20:16 after missing four games with a knee injury.