The game may have been played in the nation's capital, but the Toronto Maple Leafs in their throwback blue sweaters looked right at home on Saturday night, beating the Ottawa Senators in a 5-0 rout for their fourth win in five games.
The Maple Leafs received several impressive performances on the night, but it was James Reimer who earned first star of the game honours, stopping 49 shots to earn shutouts in back-to-back games. The shutout was Reimer's third of the year and sixth of his career. It also marked the first time since Dec. 22-23 that the Morweena, Manitoba native has won consecutive games.
Reimer becomes the first Leaf netminder to earn back-to-back shutouts since Jean-Sebastien Giguere accomplished the feat two years ago to the very week on Feb. 2-6, 2010.
The loss, meanwhile, is Ottawa's sixth-straight as the Sens' slide has helped Toronto to play catch-up in the Eastern Conference standings. Following their win, the eighth-place Leafs move to within one point of the seventh-seed Senators, as well as the New Jersey Devils who sit sixth overall. Toronto also holds three games in hand over their provincial rivals.
After going three games without a point, Phil Kessel snapped that drought and opened up the scoring for Toronto. Skating into the Ottawa zone, Kessel had his first shot blocked by Matt Carkner, but the Leafs' sniper collected the loose puck and fired it over the glove of Craig Anderson for his 27th goal of the season. The goal came at the 13:47 mark of the first period and was assisted on by Tyler Bozak for his 20th assist of the year. The secondary assist was credited to Jake Gardiner, giving him 15 this season.
A nice cross-ice feed from Kessel set up the Maple Leafs' second goal of the game, as the All-Star forward fed captain Dion Phaneuf who blistered a shot home on the power play at the 17:02 mark. Phaneuf's goal was his eighth of the season, with six of those coming on the man advantage. Kessel's assist was his 26th of the season, while Joffrey Lupul snapped his three-game drought without a point, collecting the secondary assist for his 33rd of the year.
Phaneuf's goal was also his 30th point of the campaign, matching his point total from all of last season.
Toronto extended their lead to 3-0 just before the midway point of the second period. Kessel notched his third point of the night, springing Tyler Bozak with a good pass through the neutral zone, who skated past the Ottawa defence and backhanded the puck past a sprawling Anderson. Bozak's goal was his ninth of the year, while Cody Franson drew the secondary assist, giving him 12 this season.
A great pass from Bozak set up the Leafs' fourth goal of the game, as he helped set up Luke Schenn who out waited Anderson and ripped it short side from the face-off circle. Schenn's goal came at the 5:39 mark of the third period and was just his second of the season and first in 28 games dating back to Nov. 27. Bozak's assist was his third point of the night, making it the third time this season he's reached that mark. Lupul was credited with the additional helper for his second of the game.
Another goal by a defenceman extended the Leafs' lead to 5-0 when Franson scored from the right face-off circle while on the power play for his fourth goal of the year. Franson's power play marker gave Toronto two goals on the man advantage in a game for the first time in 13 games. The power play marker was assisted on by Mikhail Grabovski, his 19th of the season, with the secondary assist going to Clarke MacArthur for his 12th helper of the campaign.
After receiving solid secondary scoring from their second line over the last couple of games, Toronto's top line was on fire on Saturday night. The trio of Kessel, Bozak and Lupul could not be stopped, registering a total of eight points (2G, 6A) in the victory.
Kessel and Lupul have benefitted from games against the Leafs' provincial rivals this season. Through five games played against the Sens, Kessel has nine points (4G, 5A), while his linemate Lupul has registered three goals and seven points.
Collecting two assists on the evening, Lupul now has 54 points (20G, 34A) this season. That beats his previous single-season high of 53 points (28G, 25A) scored during the 2005-06 campaign as a member of the Anaheim Ducks.
The Leafs are back in action on Monday when they host the red-hot Sam Gagner and his Edmonton Oilers.
Leafs vs. Senators Stats Recap
Shots
TOR: 40
OTT: 49
Shot Leaders
TOR: Kessel & Lupul tied (6)
OTT: Kuba & Turris tied (5)
Power Play
TOR: 2/5
OTT: 0/3
Blocked Shots
TOR: 20
OTT: 8
Blocked Shot Leaders
TOR: Carl Gunnarsson (8)
OTT: Filip Kuba (3)
Hits
TOR: 17
OTT: 20
Hits Leaders
TOR: Luke Schenn (4)
OTT: Zenon Konopka (4)
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