National Hockey League
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Toronto 3, Philadelphia 2
When: 7:30 PM ET, Thursday, February 26, 2015
Where: Air Canada Centre, Toronto, Ontario
Referees: Tom Kowal, Dean Morton
Linesmen: David Brisebois, Lonnie Cameron
Attendance: 18892

Maple Leafs 3, Flyers 2: Phil Kessel and Tyler Bozak each recorded a goal and an assist while Jonathan Bernier stopped a season-high 47 shots as host Toronto put together back-to-back wins for the first time in nearly 2 1/2 months.

Captain Dion Phaneuf scored what proved to be the winning goal for Toronto, which made headlines prior to the game by trading David Clarkson to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Nathan Horton. The Maple Leafs hadn't won consecutive games since stringing together six victories in a row from Dec. 6-16.

Captain Claude Giroux and Brayden Schenn each scored on the power play in the third period for the Flyers, who remained four points behind Boston for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Rob Zepp and Steve Mason (eight) combined to make 14 saves for Philadelphia, which outshot Toronto 49-17 but still lost its second straight game.

Kessel opened the scoring with 2:25 remaining in the first period, bursting across the blue line and snapping a shot from the top of the left faceoff circle that beat Zepp high to the glove side. Bozak ended Zepp's night 5:33 into the second as he broke in alone and wristed a shot past the netminder from the edge of the right circle.

Phaneuf made it 3-0 just 82 seconds into the third with a well-placed one-timer during a power play before the Flyers stormed back, as Giroux converted a one-timer at the tail end of a 5-on-3 advantage at 11:10 and Schenn ended an 11-game drought with 5:33 remaining. Bernier stood tall the rest of the way, preserving Toronto's sixth win in the last 30 contests.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Clarkson fizzled out in parts of two seasons with the Maple Leafs, recording 15 goals and 11 assists in 118 games. The 30-year-old will make $5.25 million annually over the next five seasons, while Horton is expected to remain on long-term injury reserve indefinitely and may never return to action. ... Toronto's 17 shots were a season low. ... Zepp grew up in Newmarket, Ontario, which is 35 miles north of Toronto.
Top Game Performances
 
Philadelphia   Toronto
Claude Giroux 2 Points Tyler Bozak 2
Claude Giroux 1 Goals Tyler Bozak 1
Mark Streit 2 Assists Tyler Bozak 1
Claude Giroux 1 Power Play Goals Dion Phaneuf 1
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Steve Mason .889 Save Percentage Jonathan Bernier .959
Steve Mason 8 Saves Jonathan Bernier 47
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Philadelphia 49 2 2-6 3-4 10 36
Toronto 17 3 1-4 4-6 14 28
Upcoming Games
  • Toronto will play their next game on the road against Montreal. The Maple Leafs have a W/L % of .520 after a win and .333 after a loss.
  • Philadelphia will play their next game at home against NY Rangers. The Flyers have a W/L % of .462 after a win and .389 after a loss.