Maple Leafs Top Red Wings In Centennial Classic
TORONTO (AP) Auston Matthews scored in regulation and overtime in his first outdoor game, leading the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 5-4 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday in the Centennial Classic at BMO Field.
In a game delayed 30 minutes at the start because of sun on the ice, Matthews won it with the 20th of his rookie season after the Maple Leafs blew a three-goal lead in the third period. Anthony Mantha tied it for Detroit with 1.1 seconds left.
Leo Komarov, Mitch Marner, and Connor Brown also scored for Toronto, and Frederik Andersen made 33 saves. The Maple Leafs have won five straight to improve to 17-12-7.
Mantha scored twice for Detroit, Jonathan Ericsson and Dylan Larkin added goals and rookie Jared Coreau stopped 23 shots. The Red Wings dropped to 16-16-5.
It wasn't an entirely full house at BMO with scattered empty seats among the 40,818 in attendance. The rink itself was placed on a tableau of the No. 100, signifying both the centennial season for both the Leafs and NHL.
Before the game, the NHL revealed the first 33 players on its 100 greatest players list, a group that included former Red Wings great Gordie Howe and former Leafs goalie Johnny Bower.
After Mantha opened the scoring in the second period, the team combined for seven goals in the third.
Komarov tied it 1:23 into the final frame. Fed by Jake Gardiner, who fetched a loose puck in the corner of the Detroit zone, Komarov stuffed his sixth goal of the season past Coreau.
Marner put the Leafs ahead at 8:23, storming past Mantha and into the slot before beating Coreau. Fed from behind the net by fellow rookie Zach Hyman, Brown scored 1:11 later. Matthews scored at 12:05.
Ericsson and Larkin scored less than two minutes apart to cut the deficit to one. Mantha tucked a shot into the net with 1.1 seconds left in regulation. Andersen was down and out on the play after slight contact with Thomas Vanek in the crease. The play was reviewed, but ultimately confirmed.
UP NEXT:
Red Wings: At Anaheim on Wednesday night.
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