The Toronto Maple Leafs secured a 2-1 victory over the New York Islanders on Thursday night, thanks to strong performances from Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews.
McDavid, who was recently named the NHL’s Player of the Month for December, continued his impressive form by scoring the first goal of the game in the second period. The 24-year-old center now has 12 goals and 22 assists in just 19 games this season.
Matthews, the Maple Leafs’ leading scorer, added to the team’s lead with a power-play goal in the third period. The 23-year-old center has now scored in five consecutive games and has a total of 18 goals this season.
The Islanders, who were playing without their captain and leading scorer Anders Lee due to an injury, managed to get on the scoreboard in the third period with a goal from Brock Nelson. However, it was not enough to overcome the Maple Leafs’ strong defense and goaltending.
Toronto’s goaltender Jack Campbell made 26 saves, including a crucial stop on a breakaway by Islanders’ forward Anthony Beauvillier in the third period. The 29-year-old has now won all four of his starts this season and has a save percentage of .951.
The Maple Leafs’ victory extends their winning streak to four games and improves their record to 14-3-2, placing them at the top of the North Division. The Islanders, on the other hand, have now lost three consecutive games and have a record of 10-7-3.
The two teams will face each other again on Saturday night, with the Maple Leafs looking to continue their winning streak and the Islanders hoping to bounce back from their recent losses.
