Marner, Matthews shine as reunited linemates, Leafs rally to edge Preds

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The Maple Leafs found some easy prey on Wednesday night.

On the shoulders of captain Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, the Leafs beat the Nashville Predators 3-2 at Scotiabank Arena.

The Leafs didn’t have much going on offence through 40 minutes and trailed 1-0.

Toward the end of the second, coach Craig Berube put Matthews and Marner back together and dropped William Nylander to play with John Tavares.

The tinkering worked to a T.

Matthews scored at 31 seconds of the third period on pass from Marner. At 2:29, Matthews scored his second after taking another pass from Marner before deking past Gustav Nyquist and slipping the puck under Predators goalie Juuse Saros.

It marked Matthews’ first two-goal game of the season.

Nylander scored at 5:06 on a power play off a terrific no-look between-the-legs pass from Matthew Knies. Marner, named to Canada’s roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off earlier in the evening, also drew an assist on that one, marking the third time this season that Marner has assisted on three goals in a game.

The 31st-place Predators got a goal from Mark Jankowski with under four minutes to play.

Joseph Woll made 22 saves as the Leafs moved into sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Division.

The Predators’ goal in the first period came off the kind of bounce that probably hasn’t landed in their laps often this season, considering their record.

Jonathan Marchessault scored at 5:26 after he sent the puck into the Leafs end. Marchessault’s shot came back off the end glass and landed in the crease at the feet of Woll, who was unaware of the odd carom. Before Woll clued in, Marchessault pounced on the puck and pushed it into the net.

Three Leafs arriving near the crease — Matthews and defencemen Morgan Rielly and Philippe Myers — didn’t anticipate the bounce either.

Marner extended his point streak to eight games, during which he has 16 points. In 17 games since Oct. 24, Marner has gone without a point only once, on Nov. 12 when the Leafs were shut out by Ottawa.

tkoshan@postmedia.com

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