Maple Leafs turn on the power to snuff Flames in lopsided victory

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The Maple Leafs knew they needed more urgency in their game.

The players knew it, coach Craig Berube knew it and the Calgary Flames learned on Monday night what can happen when the Leafs bring it.

After winning once in their previous six games, the Leafs were in tune from the opening shift at Scotiabank Arena and skated to a relatively easy 6-2 victory.

Clad in their green and white St. Pats uniforms, the Leafs, winners of seven of their past eight against Calgary, scored three power-play goals in a game for the second time in 2024-25.

Captain Auston Matthews scored two of those goals, marking the first time since Nov. 6, 2021, that he had two power-play goals in one game.

Toronto remains tied with Tampa Bay in the Atlantic Division, two points behind the division-leading Florida Panthers. Tampa shut out Philadelphia 2-0 on Monday night.

The Leafs’ leaders led: Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander combined for eight points.

Toronto killed off all four Calgary power plays.

The Leafs took a 1-0 lead on a goal by Max Domi early in the first period and then were stymied time and time again by Flames rookie goaltender Dustin Wolf. Calgary tied the game late in the first when Rasmus Andersson beat Joseph Woll with a low shot.

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The second period played out rather differently, as the Leafs pumped Wolf for four goals. He was gone to start the third, pulled in favour of Dan Vladar.

Nylander scored on a one-timer at 1:39 as former Leafs centre Nazem Kadri served a hooking minor.

Calgary appeared to tie the game at 2:48 when Morgan Frost scored on a rebound during a power play. Berube challenged for offside, and after a lengthy review, Kadri was deemed to be guilty of the offence and there was no goal.

Nick Robertson was set up by Domi at 9:34 for the Leafs’ third goal.

Matthews scored with a man advantage at 15:41 and again at 18:54. Nylander had the primary assist on Matthews’ first goal; Matthew Knies had the primary assist on the second.

In the final period, Bobby McMann beat Vladar for his first goal in 13 games. Kevin Bahl scored for the Flames in the last minute.

John Tavares was held off the scoresheet in his 500th game with Toronto.

After losing to Florida and Ottawa in regulation last week to put Leafs Nation into a tizzy, Toronto will conclude its four-game home stand on Wednesday when the Colorado Avalanche stops in for its only visit of the season.

tkoshan@postmedia.com

X: @koshtorontosun