Captain Dylan Larkin scored a power-play goal 41 seconds into overtime to fuel the visiting Detroit Red Wings to a 5-4 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.
Larkin deflected a shot from Patrick Kane past Ilya Samsonov for his career-best 33rd goal of the season.
The Red Wings (39-32-9, 87 points) are tied with the Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers for the Eastern Conference’s second wild card. The Red Wings and Capitals have two games remaining while the Flyers have one.
Detroit’s Alex DeBrincat scored two goals, David Perron and Larkin each collected a goal and an assist and defenseman Simon Edvinsson also tallied. James Reimer celebrated playing in his 500th career game by making 32 saves against his former team for the Red Wings, who recorded just their third win in their last 10 games (3-4-3).
Toronto’s Auston Matthews netted his NHL-leading 69th goal to extend his goal-scoring streak to a career-high eight games and his point streak to 14 games. Matthews’ goal total is the most in the NHL since Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux had 69 in 1995-96.
Mitch Marner collected a goal and two assists and captain John Tavares and Nicholas Robertson also tallied. Ilya Samsonov turned aside 27 shots for the Maple Leafs (46-24-10, 102 points), who have lost two straight following a 6-1-0 run.
Marner converted from the doorstep to open the scoring at 8:35 of the first period before the Red Wings responded with a flourish.
Lucas Raymond set up DeBrincat on a two-on-one rush at 10:02 before Edvinsson converted a give-and-go with Perron just over 3 1/2 minutes later. Edvinsson’s goal was his first of the season.
DeBrincat scored his 26th goal of the season after cleaning up a rebound following a shot from J.T. Compher to give Detroit a 3-1 at 17:37 of the first period.
Perron’s sharp-angle shot from deep in the right circle squeezed past Samsonov with 19 seconds remaining in the first period.
Toronto forged a 4-4 tie with three goals in the second period. Robertson scored on a rush at 9:04, Matthews capped a pretty power-play passing sequence from the left circle at 10:23, and Tavares tallied from in front at 17:22.
–Field Level Media
