Tavares scores late overtime winner as Maple Leafs edge Panthers

Associated PressApril 10, 2023 - 10:55pm

Ilya Samsonov turned in a near flawless performance with 46 saves and John Tavares fired home the OT-winner on the breakaway as the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Florida Panthers 2-1.

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — John Tavares scored with 21.3 seconds remaining in overtime and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat Florida 2-1 on Monday night to snap the Panthers' six-game winning streak.

Auston Matthews also scored for Toronto, netting his 40th of the season. Ilya Samsonov made 45 saves.

Brandon Montour scored for Florida and tied the franchise record for goals by a defenceman in a season with his 16th. Goalie Alex Lyon made 23 saves and lost for the first time in seven straight starts in place of Sergei Bobrovsky.

The Panthers managed to gain a point and moved closer to a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Florida has gone 6-0-1 since losing in Ottawa on March 27.

After a scoreless opening 37-plus minutes, the Maple Leafs took a 1-0 lead when Matthews deflected a long shot by Mitch Marner with 2:13 remaining in the second period.

The Panthers tied the score midway through the third when Montour scored on a feed from Carter Verhaeghe.

NOTEWORTHY

• Two days after his collegiate career at the University of Minnesota came to an end, Matthew Knies made his NHL debut with the Maple Leafs. Knies, a second round pick in 2021, was the Big Ten Player of the Year and a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award.

• Due to salary cap concerns, the Maple Leafs added junior goalie Nick Chenard to their roster in time for the game on Monday. Chenard, 21, played for the Owen Sound Attack in the Ontario Hockey League this season.

• Lyon was named the NHL Third Star of the Week after going 3-0-0 and allowing only five goals on 122 shots faced for the Panthers. He is the first Florida goalie to be honored by the league this season.

• Florida D Marc Staal played in his 1,100th NHL game on Monday. The 36-year-old has appeared in all 81 games for the Panthers this season.

UP NEXT

Maple Leafs: At Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night.

Panthers: Host Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night.

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