TORONTO — The Toronto Maple Leafs survived their pre-holiday trap game by a whisker, taking care of the Philadelphia Flyers with a 4-3 win on Thursday.
The Maple Leafs built a three-goal lead with less than nine minutes remaining before surviving two late Flyers' goals in their annual holiday-season matinee in front of a kids-laden crowd of 18,908 at Scotiabank Arena.
"We were those kids not too long ago," said forward Michael Bunting, who scored early in the third period. "We looked up to the Leafs and cheered for them growing up in the city.
"I liked this kind of game, a two o'clock game, get the kids out, and it was nice to get a win for them."
There was potential for the Maple Leafs (21-7-6) to drift off into a Christmas wonderland, contemplating their four-day, five-evening break before finishing off the Flyers (11-16-7). After all, the visitors have the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference.
But after Philadelphia goalie Carter Hart stopped the first 23 shots he faced, including a short-handed breakaway from Mitch Marner in the opening period, a pair of late goals in the second period ignited the Maple Leafs.
Marner set up Calle Jarnkrok for a redirect, and 2:47 later, Marner slid a shot underneath Hart's right pad on the power play to put Toronto in front 2-1.
"The building is always rockin', and the kids really enjoy it, especially when they get to take some time off school," Marner said of the game environment.
"It's always fun to play in the afternoon. It reminds me of my days back in the OHL. Nice two o'clock start. I wish we had more, to be honest."
The Maple Leafs (21-7-6) extended their home win streak to six games. William Nylander, whose game-winner pushed him to the 20-goal mark, also had two assists on the day.
Only the Boston Bruins, who were scheduled to play the Winnipeg Jets later Thursday, have a better home record at 17-0-2 to the Maple Leafs' 13-2-3.
"Getting the extra time, it's important no matter what," Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe said of the upcoming break. "I know every team in the league has their own things going on, and the schedule is not easy.
"So time to breathe, recover, and have fun with your family is important."
The Maple Leafs outshot the visitors 34-18 and Hart had a five-game personal win streak halted. Toronto's Ilya Samsonov faced only eight shots in the first two periods.
"Those are hard games to play, especially after the one in Washington," said Samsonov, referring to the 28 shots he faced in a 5-2 loss to the Capitals last Saturday.
After Nylander put the Maple Leafs ahead 4-1 in the third period, Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee scored 1:23 apart.
Farabee's goal came with 6:36 remaining. He missed an open net on his next shift.
Samsonov survived to notch his ninth straight win at home to start the season, a streak that matched a 55-year-old team record set by the late Bruce Gamble to open the 1967-68 campaign.
Tony DeAngelo provided the Flyers with a 1-0 lead with an early-game power-play goal.
NEWCOMER SITS
Toronto left-winger Dryden Hunt, acquired earlier this week from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Denis Malgin, did not play against the Flyers.
He practised on the fourth line on Wednesday alongside centre Pontus Holmberg and right-winger Joey Anderson. Hunt, an undrafted 27-year-old from Cranbrook, B.C. last played for the Avalanche on Dec. 17.
UP NEXT
The Maple Leafs are off until Tuesday, when they begin a three-game road trip against the St. Louis Blues. That contest will be games against the Arizona Coyotes on Dec. 29 and the Colorado Avalanche on New Year's Eve.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 22, 2022.
Tim Wharnsby, The Canadian Press
