Aston-Reese scores twice as Maple Leafs snap 2-game skid with win over Hurricanes

Zach Aston-Reese would not thoughts if the Maple Leafs sported their inexperienced and white jerseys extra typically.

Morgan Rielly, in the meantime, seems to be to lastly be heating up with the post-season beckoning.

Aston-Reese scored twice and Rielly discovered the again of the online for the second time in as many video games Friday as Toronto downed the visiting Carolina Hurricanes 5-2 on an evening that noticed Luke Schenn play at Scotiabank Area as a member of the house facet for the primary time in virtually 11 years.

Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner offered the remainder of the offence for Toronto (41-18-9), which received 32 saves from Ilya Samsonov. John Tavares added two assists, whereas Rielly added one other for a two-point efficiency.

“After they had been pressuring us laborious, we did our job,” Marner stated. “We bent slightly bit, however did not break. We stayed to our construction.

“We received alternatives off it, and after we did, we did not miss.”

WATCH | Aston-Reese scores pair of targets to assist Leafs beat Hurricanes:

Aston-Reese scores twice, Leafs defeat Hurricanes

Zach Aston-Reese scores a pair of targets heping Toronto defeat Carolina 5-2 Friday night time.

The Leafs sported their Toronto St. Pats threads — a nod to the franchise’s moniker from 1919 by means of 1927 — on St. Patrick’s Day.

“Like these jerseys so much,” Aston-Reese stated with a smile.

Brady Skjei and Martin Necas replied for Carolina (44-15-8). Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 19 pictures.

“A staff with that ability stage, you simply cannot be giving them possibilities,” Hurricanes winger Jordan Martinook stated. “You have received to have the ability to stick along with your recreation plan and keep tight, keep above individuals, do not let their ability guys get behind you.

“We let that occur too many occasions.”

‘The followers have all the time been nice to me’

Schenn performed his first recreation in Toronto as a Leaf in almost 4,000 days after he was reacquired from the Vancouver Canucks forward of the NHL commerce deadline.

“In a single regard, sure, it seems like one other lifetime,” stated the 33-year-old, who was drafted fifth total by Toronto in 2008 earlier than his commerce to the Philadelphia Flyers in 2012.

“In the identical breath, all the things simply is acquainted.”

Schenn obtained a pleasant ovation to begin the sport. He heard the previous “Luuuuuke” chants rain down from the stands after a third-period hit on Sebastian Aho throughout a penalty kill.

“It hasn’t been easy crusing,” stated the defenceman from Saskatoon. “However there is no query that the followers have all the time been nice to me.”

Toronto opened the scoring early within the first interval. Aston-Reese tipped an Erik Gustafsson level shot for his sixth aim of the season earlier than Marner ripped his twenty fifth in off the submit.

Skjei received one again two minutes later together with his 14th on a shot that squeaked by means of Samsonov.

The Leafs made it 3-1 earlier than the interval was out on an influence play.

Tavares noticed his effort hit a Carolina stick and bounce in off Matthews for his thirty second — and the primary aim surrendered by Carolina’s second-ranked penalty kill in 13 video games.

However Aston-Reese bagged his second of the night time on a 2-on-1 with Sam Lafferty. Aston-Reese’s two-goal efficiency was his first since October 2019 when he was a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“He is sniper,” Samsonov deadpanned of Aston-Reese, who has by no means registered a hat trick within the NHL. “All people is aware of this.

“I am so pleased for him.”

Rielly then roofed his fourth — and second in as many video games — halfway by means of the third on one other 2-on-1 with Matthews to place issues out of attain.

“Playoff-type of recreation really feel when it comes to each groups being acutely aware to not permit an excessive amount of offence,” stated Rielly, whose membership was coming off Wednesday’s 2-1 shootout loss to the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche.

Acciari exits recreation after hit to the top

Toronto misplaced Noel Acciari late within the first when he took a blow up excessive in a collision with Jesse Puljujarvi.

The Leafs, who had been left with 10 forwards after as soon as once more dressing an additional defenceman, stated the veteran centre was held out for precautionary causes.

Acciari will not play Saturday, however was within the locker room with teammates post-game.

“My view of it, clearly, is it ought to be a penalty,” Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe stated. “It is powerful to lose a participant like that on a play like that.”

The Maple Leafs subsequent face the Senators in Ottawa on Saturday.