Andersen makes 36 saves, Leafs playoff push gets boost with 4-2 win over Flyers
TORONTO — Third-period leads haven’t always turned out well for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season, but they managed to protect a big one on Thursday night.
Frederik Andersen came up with 36 saves, including 19 in the final 20 minutes, as the Leafs edged out the Philadelphia Flyers 4-2 and jumped — at least temporarily — back into the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. Toronto now has 74 points — one behind the New York Islanders, who beat the Canucks 4-3 in overtime in Vancouver later that night to reclaim the wild-card spot.
“We know what we had to do — we came out and did it so it’s a good feeling,” defenceman Morgan Rielly said.
The win was the Leafs second straight after a slide of five in a row. It also kept a fellow competitor in the playoff chase from gaining ground, the Flyers entering the night just two points back.