Kadri leads Leafs past Devils 4-2
TORONTO — Nazem Kadri continued his points streak Monday with a goal and an assist in the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 4-2 victory over the struggling New Jersey Devils.
Clarke MacArthur, Jay McClement and Phil Kessel — with his first goal on home ice this season — scored in the third period for Toronto. Kadri connected in the first period and assisted on MacArthur’s goal to earn points in his fifth straight game.
The 22-year-old Kadri leads the Leafs with 23 points in 23 games.
James Reimer, making his first appearance at Air Canada Centre since Feb. 11 after a mild knee ligament strain, made 28 saves for the win.
Marek Zidlicky scored twice for New Jersey, which hasn’t won in five games. Ryan Carter assisted on both goals and Johan Hedberg stopped 19 shots for the Devils.
Toronto trailed 2-1 after the second intermission, but McClement tied it 39 seconds into the third period. He intercepted Patrik Elias’ pass deep in the Devils’ zone and deked Hedberg, putting the puck on his backhand and past the goaltender.
MacArthur gave Toronto a 3-2 lead with a power-play goal, sending his own rebound between Hedberg’s legs after the Devils’ Andrei Loktionov took a tripping penalty.
Kadri earned his team-best 14th assist on the play.
Kessel clinched it 2:30 later, scoring his fifth of the season.
Kadri opened scoring just over 10 minutes into the game on a fluky goal as he shot from a wide angle, bouncing the puck off the inside of Hedberg’s left pad and across the goal line. It was Kadri’s ninth of the season.
Zidlicky tied it early in second period. His wrist shot from the top of the faceoff circle found its way through traffic and over Reimer’s left shoulder.
A costly neutral-zone turnover by Leafs forward Frazer McLaren gave Zidlicky his second of the night nearly six minutes later. Zidlicky worked a two-on-one passing play with Ryan Carter, putting it past Reimer for a 2-1 lead.
MacArthur and Kessel both missed on breakaway opportunities in the period. But they found the range in the final period.
Notes: Veteran defensemen John-Michael Liles and Mike Komisarek were both healthy scratches for the Leafs. Earlier in the day, Toronto general manager Dave Nonis vehemently denied that Komisarek had requested a trade. ... Forwards Matt Frattin (knee) and Joffrey Lupul (fractured forearm) remain on Toronto’s injured list. ... New Jersey defensemen Peter Harrold and Anthon Volchenkov were healthy scratches, while star goaltender Martin Brodeur remained on IR with a sore back. The crowd cheered when it was announced before the game that Brodeur would not be playing. ... Willie O’Ree, the first black player in NHL history, was in attendance.