National Hockey League
Toronto 6, Winnipeg 3
When: 8:00 PM ET, Thursday, January 2, 2020
Where: Bell MTS Place, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Referees: Jean Hebert, Ian Walsh
Linesmen: Trent Knorr, Brian Mach
Attendance: 15325

William Nylander scored two goals and added an assist and Frederik Andersen made 45 saves as the streaking Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the host Winnipeg Jets 6-3 on Thursday night.

Kasperi Kapanen added a goal and an assist and Travis Dermott, Pierre Engvall and Mitchell Marner also scored for the Maple Leafs, who extended their point streak to nine games (8-0-1).

Kyle Connor, Patrik Laine and Mark Scheifele scored for the Jets, who dropped to 2-5-1 in their past eight games. Goalie Connor Hellebuyck was pulled following the second period after allowing five goals on 17 shots.

Dermott and Engvall scored in a 35-second span midway through the second period to break a 2-2 tie after Winnipeg had rallied from a two-goal deficit.

Dermott scored at 9:02 on a four-on-three break. Alexander Kerfoot's shot rang off the left post and off Hellebuyck's back before falling inches short of the goal line, where Dermott was able to poke it in.

Engvall tallied at 9:37 as his wrist shot from the top of the left faceoff circle made it through a screen and into the upper right corner of the net.

Scheifele scored on a wrist shot at 12:48 of the second to pull the Jets within 4-3, but Marner tallied on the power play at 16:52, his shot from the top of the left faceoff circle going off Hellebuyck's blocker and trickling over the goal line, to restore the two-goal advantage.

Nylander capped the scoring at 8:45 of the third on a nifty tic-tac-toe passing play with Kerfoot and John Tavares after a Jets turnover in their own zone.

The Maple Leafs took a 2-0 lead in the opening nine minutes, with both goals coming off Winnipeg defensive lapses.

On the first, at 3:24, Hellebuyck had the puck stolen behind the net by Toronto's Adam Brooks, who fed Nylander in the slot. He scored for the fifth straight game.

On the second, at 9:00, Winnipeg defenseman Luca Sbisa lost the puck near the top of the faceoff circles in his own zone and Kapanen put a wrist shot between Hellebuyck's pads.

The Jets tied it with two goals early in the second period, as Connor scored from the right circle on a power play at 3:45 and Laine beat Andersen with a sharp-angle shot from the right wing at 7:44.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Toronto   Winnipeg
William Nylander 3 Points Kyle Connor 2
William Nylander 2 Goals Kyle Connor 1
Alexander Kerfoot 2 Assists Kyle Connor 1
Mitchell Marner 1 Power Play Goals Kyle Connor 1
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Frederik Andersen .938 Save Percentage Laurent Brossoit .909
Frederik Andersen 45 Saves Connor Hellebuyck 12
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Toronto 28 6 1-3 1-2 4 30
Winnipeg 48 3 1-2 2-3 8 30
Upcoming Games
  • Winnipeg will play their next game on the road against Minnesota. The Jets have a W/L % of .391 after a win and .722 after a loss.
  • Toronto will play their next game at home against NY Islanders. The Maple Leafs have a W/L % of .609 after a win and .474 after a loss.