Matthews nets hat trick as Maple Leafs rally past Devils

TORONTO (AP) — Auston Matthews had three goals and an assist, and the Toronto Maple Leafs scored four times in the third period to rally to a 6-4 win over the New Jersey Devils on Monday night.

Mitch Marner had a goal and two assists, Ilya Mikheyev had a goal and an assist, and Jason Spezza also scored to help the Maple Leafs win their fourth straight. Jack Campbell started and gave up three goals on nine shots before he was pulled midway through the first period. Petr Mrazek had 19 saves the rest of the way.

Jesper Boquist had a goal and an assist for New Jersey, and Pavel Zacha, Andreas Johnsson and Nathan Bastian also scored. Akira Schmid had 27 saves as the Devils lost their fifth straight.

The Maple Leafs trailed 4-2 after 40 minutes before Spezza lifted a shot high into the top of the net 4:16 into the third.

Marner then tied it with 6 1/2 minutes left off a faceoff thanks to some hustle from teammate Michael Bunting, who retrieved a loose puck after Matthews lost the draw.

Mikheyev put Toronto ahead 5-4 with a short-handed goal on a rush with Alex Kerfoot with 3:04 remaining, and Matthews completed his fifth career hat trick with an empty-netter in the final minute for his 28th goal of the season.

The win came two days after the Maple Leafs overcame a two-goal, third-period deficit in Detroit to beat the Red Wings. It also denied the 21-year-old Schmid his first career win.

The Devils got off to a fast start as Zacha scored just 47 seconds into the game, and Boqvist made it 2-0 at 6:20.

Matthews' first of the night 13 seconds later pulled the Maple Leafs within one.

After Johnsson restored New Jersey's two-goal lead at 9:10, Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe called a timeout to scold his players and lift Campbell in favor of Mrazek.

Matthews got Toronto back within one on a tip-in with just under five minutes remaining in the opening period.

Bastian pushed the Devils' lead to 4-2 at 7:33 of the second.

SOMBER

New Jersey was without veteran head coach Lindy Ruff, who left the team to be with his family back in Warburg, Alberta, after the death of his 88-year-old father, Leeson.

UP NEXT

The teams conclude a home-and-set in New Jersey on Tuesday night before the All-Star break.