The Toronto Maple Leafs wrap up their California road trip on Sunday night in Anaheim against the Ducks, looking to build on their lead atop the Atlantic Division.
The Maple Leafs (44-25-4, 92 points) sit one point up on the Florida Panthers for the division lead, with the two teams set to meet on Wednesday in Toronto.
Toronto heads to Anaheim following a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.
John Tavares scored twice and captain Auston Matthews added a goal and an assist for the Leafs, who have points in three straight games (2-0-1) and are 6-3-1 over its last 10.
The Leafs trailed 1-0 after two periods before scoring three unanswered in the third against the Kings.
“It can maybe feel like there’s a not a whole lot going on, especially when you get to the halfway point (and) we’d generated some good looks, but we hadn’t been able to sustain some pressure,” Tavares said. “Obviously, they made some good plays and pushes at times. They were able to grab the lead on us, so just staying with it and not getting frustrated or discouraged. I liked the attitude in the room between periods.”
Tavares has points in six straight games (eight goals, five assists).
Goaltender Anthony Stolarz made 35 saves to improve to 16-8-3 with a .919 save percentage and a 2.35 goals-against average in 29 games.
Mitch Marner, who had a helper in Saturday’s win, paces the Leafs in both assists (68) and points (90) in 72 games this season. The forward has points in four straight games (one goal, six assists).
Joseph Woll, Sunday’s likely starter, will look to bounce back after allowing five goals in a 6-5 loss to the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night. Woll is 24-13-1 in 38 games this season, posting a .905 save percentage and a 2.80 GAA.
Sunday is the second and final meeting between Anaheim and Toronto. The Leafs edged the Ducks 3-2 in Toronto on Dec. 12.
Anaheim (32-32-8, 72 points) enters Sunday’s contest looking to stretch its win streak to three games.
Mason McTavish scored 59 seconds into overtime as the Ducks edged the visiting New York Rangers 5-4 on Friday night.
Leo Carlsson had a goal and three assists, Olen Zellweger and Cutter Gauthier each scored and added an assist for Anaheim, which sits sixth in the Western Conference wild card race – 15 points back of the St. Louis Blues with 10 games remaining.
“Just a great comeback,” Zellweger said. “There’s a few goals we want back, but it was a great effort there down the stretch, and a few big penalty kills to keep us in there.”
The Ducks are 5-4-1 over their last 10 games and 18-16-2 on home ice this season.
Carlsson has 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) over his last 18 games.
Alex Killorn scored the other Anaheim goal, while Lukas Dostal made 26 saves. Killorn has points in four straight (three goals, two assists).
Dostal is 21-19-6 with a .906 save percentage and a 3.01 GAA this season. Fellow netminder John Gibson is 11-10-2 with a .913 save percentage and a 2.72 GAA in 28 games.
