Nylander plays OT hero as Maple Leafs rally against Chicago to snap losing streak
Toronto forward converts breakaway opportunity to help end 4-game losing skid
William Nylander scored in overtime to lift the Toronto Maple Leafs over Chicago 3-2 on Wednesday.
The Leafs snapped a four-game losing streak with the victory, and extended Chicago's record to 0-6-1.
John Tavares and David Kampf also scored for Toronto, and Jack Campbell stopped 25 shots.
Chicago got 36 saves from Kevin Lankinen, and goals from Kirby Dach and Alex DeBrincat.
The decisive OT goal happened when Nylander broke in on a 2-on-0 and snapped a wrist shot past Lankinen.
WATCH | Nylander's slick breakaway finish helps Toronto edge Chicago:
"It hasn't been looking too pretty the last few nights," Nylander said. "Tonight, we got closer to where we want to be, but not fully there yet. I just tried five-hole and it worked."
The Maple Leafs outplayed Chicago as the game went on, but Chicago ended one streak early, taking the lead for the first time this season when Dach beat Campbell with a power-play wrist shot over the glove side 5:44 in.
Chicago had been tied or trailed for more than six games at that point, the longest such streak in the NHL since 1979-80.
DeBrincat scored at even strength for a 2-0 Chicago lead at 11:48 of the first, accepting Seth Jones' long pass following Toronto defenceman Justin Holl's turnover. DeBrincat's shot sailed over Campbell's shoulder.
Keefe said the Leafs "talked a ton about protecting our goal and they scored two. That's got to stop."
Tavares cut the lead to 2-1 at 6:14 in the second, outmuscling Jonathan Toews in the slot and backhanding a shot over Lankinen's glove hand.
"A good character win," Tavares said. "We had a good [first] intermission, getting our mindset right. We challenged each other."
Kampf, a former Chicago player whom the Leafs signed as a free agent in July, tied the game at 2, beating Lankinen on a sneaky backhand from the slot with 7:29 left in regulation. Kampf took a pass from Rasmus Sandin on the boards and barely looked at Lankinen as he let the shot go.
