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Maple Leafs use 4-goal 2nd period to surge past Oilers

Maple Leafs use 4-goal 2nd period to surge past Oilers

John Tavares scored twice as part of a four-goal barrage in the second period as the Toronto Maple Leafs roared back from a 3-1 deficit to down the visiting Edmonton Oilers 7-4 on Saturday.

Mitch Marner had a goal and three assists for Toronto (40-17-8), while William Nylander and Auston Matthews each scored and set up another. Tavares added an assist for a three-point night and Noel Acciari had the other two goals, including into the empty net, for the Leafs.

Matt Murray made 24 saves.

Connor McDavid replied with his NHL-best 55th goal of the season and added two assists for Edmonton (36-23-8). Leon Draisailt, Evander Kane and Mattias Ekholm also scored for the Oilers. Stuart Skinner stopped 31 shots. Evan Bouchard and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins chipped in with two assists each.

Down 3-1 in the second, the Leafs kick-started their comeback when Marner intercepted a Ryan McLeod pass in front of Edmonton’s net before beating Skinner with his 24th goal of the campaign.

Marner then stole another puck — this time off Nick Bjugstad — to feed Nylander for his 34th that tied the game 3-3.

Tavares made it 4-3 to complete a three-goal outburst in exactly three minutes after he and Matthews forced another turnover out of Darnell Nurse.

The Leafs went to the power play late in the period, and Tavares scored his second of the period and 30th overall for a 5-3 advantage through 40 minutes.

A feisty night on the ice finally boiled over eight minutes into the third when Kane and Michael Bunting were involved in a prolonged wrestling match in Edmonton’s end.

Toronto got a power play that saw Matthews score his 30th before Draisaitl replied with his 42nd on another man advantage. Acciari then iced it into the empty net late.

Held off the scoresheet for just the seventh time this season in Thursday’s 3-2 victory over Boston, McDavid grabbed the early headlines in his first-ever Saturday night game at Scotiabank Arena with fans in attendance.

The league leader in goals, assists and points put the Oilers ahead 3-1 early in the second after being whistled for unsportsmanlike conduct with Matthews.

Edmonton’s captain exited the penalty box and took a pass in the neutral zone before cutting into the middle and firing through Murray’s pads to add to his career-high goal and…

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