Golden Knights are back to beat Maple Leafs in OT

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The Maple Leafs want to be considered the top team in the National Hockey League.

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The Vegas Golden Nights reminded them Tuesday night that they weren’t there yet.

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Riley Smith, who tied the game with a short-handed goal in the third period, scored the winner in 23 seconds of overtime at Scotiabank Arena to give Vegas a 4-3 victory and extend the Leafs’ three-game winning streak. I finished it.

After a flurry of four straight losses in California, the Leafs scored points against Vegas after defeating Philadelphia, Boston and Carolina. Each of their past three opponents was at or near the top of the NHL standings when they met the Leafs.

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Vegas has lost just two of its first 14 games and is on an eight-game winning streak.

“It’s a tough stretch of three games in four nights against three elite teams,” Leafs coach Sheldon Keef said. But we need to get six points tonight, so it shows we still have a way to go in terms of managing the game.”

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The Leafs had a 3-2 lead in the third period when Smith scored with less than eight minutes left after seeing teammate Mike Amadio stuck in a Keef claw from the penalty box. The Leafs’ first power play his unit rushed into Vegas his Minor on the ice, and Smith equalized by beating goaltender Eric Kalgren his 2–1. A chance to change to get a second unit on the ice was at the roadside.

“Unfortunately, sometimes you have to go through something like that to be reminded that it lasts a season,” Keef said.

Mitch Marner says: I have to get off the ice a little sooner. I need to check the time by looking at the score. We have to do a better job of getting fresher players on the ice. ”

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On the breakaway, Smith dequered a backhand to beat Kalgren’s high as the winner.

In front of a crowd of 18,459, Leafs defenseman Timothy Liljegren scored his first two goals of the season.

“I gave up too many chances,” Lilliegren said. “Our structure wasn’t good enough. They flowed the game well.

”I don’t consider myself a goalscorer.

The Leafs will have two days of practice before back-to-back home sets against the Pittsburgh Penguins and Vancouver Canucks at Hall of Fame weekend.

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Kalgren dominated the first stage of the second period, giving his teammate a chance to win. In this case, Kallgren had a shot at his teammate to take the lead 2-1.

Kalgren had to be sharp to make three difficult saves, including the Golden Knights who managed to find ice to look good following a Leafs turnover.

Kalgren denied Keegan Kollcer and William Carrier and stopped Smith after Marner gave the Leafs a chance.

“It’s not even a defensive thing,” Keef said. “If you give the opposing team the puck in the wrong place, you can’t defend it. They can hit back at such a fast speed that they don’t stand a chance to defend. They do it better than anyone in the NHL.” I am doing it.”

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Goalkeeper Logan Thompson made tough saves for William Nylander and Ouston Matthews before Marner scored the highlight reel goal.

Observers gasped when Marner tied the match at 13:50. After taking the puck out along the boards, Marner moved into the middle of the ice and past several Las Vegas defenders. Marner then caught Thompson off guard and shot across his own body and over the goalie’s catching gloves into the top corner.

Liljegren then scored his second three minutes later to cap off a shift in which the Leafs had good control of the puck. After some great cycling, Marner slotted the pack and passed off to Lillie Glen. Lillieglen immediately took a shot, tricking Thompson into sending him into the stick side of Netminder.

The Golden Knights scored in the 45th second of the first period when Nicholas Roy stabbed the puck over the goal line.

Liljegren tied the game less than five minutes later with a fine pass play from David Kampf, but Jack Eichel scored in the first half following a Liljegren turnover.

tkoshan@postmedia.com

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