Jack Campbell backstops Leafs to 5-1 win for perfect road trip

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jack Campbell made 38 saves and the Maple Leafs finished off a perfect road trip with a 5-1 win against the Ducks in Anaheim Sunday.

This was a free-flowing game early, and the Ducks had eight shots on goal in the first 7:58 of game action. Campbell responded to the challenge and then the Maple Leafs tightened up through the middle portion of the game. Score effects then helped to bump up Anaheim’s shot production in the third period.

Jack Campbell has been incredible for the Maple Leafs this season. He has a league-leading .946 save percentage in 18 games. The next-best save percentage among goaltenders that have appeared in more than five games this season is Calgary’s Jacob Markstrom, at .937.

The Goals

Toronto got their first goal from Auston Matthews, who deflected a T.J. Brodie wrist shot over the glove of Ducks goaltender John Gibson at 7:48 of the second period. It was Matthews’ 10^th goal of the campaign.

At 11:03 of the second period, Michael Bunting was the beneficiary of a sweet setup from Mitch Marner. Bunting finished the 2-on-1 with a one-timer into the gaping cage for his sixth goal of the season. Bunting had a goal and an assist in the game, giving him eight points (3 G, 5 A) in the past eight games.

Alexander Kerfoot gave the Maple Leafs some breathing room 13 seconds into the third period. He converted a pass from William Nylander, lifting it over Gibson’s glove for his fourth goal of the season.

Hampus Lindholm got the Ducks on the board at 7:26 of the third period. Ryan Getzlaf kept the puck in at the Maple Leafs blueline. He then sent the puck towards the net where it was deflected by Lindholm before the Ducks defenceman buried his own rebound for his second goal of the season.

The Ducks pulled goaltender John Gibson with more than three minutes remaining. While it is the right play statistically, it did not work for them in this case. William Nylander extended Toronto’s lead, scoring his ninth of the season on the empty net after taking a 2-on-0 feed from Alexander Kerfoot at 16:53 of the third period.

Wayne Simmonds completed the scoring for Toronto at 17:08 of the third period, with Gibson back in the net. Pierre Engvall fired a shot off Gibson’s shoulder and Simmonds cleaned up the loose puck in the front of the net for his second goal in as many games. Simmonds has three goals on the season.

Ducks rookie was impressive

Rookie centre Trevor Zegras was the most dangerous Ducks player in the game, with nine shot attempts and eight shots on goal. He has several high-danger chances but Jack Campbell turned them all away.

Ducks goaltender John Gibson stopped 26 of 30 shots in the game.

The Maple Leafs, with a 16-6-1 record have taken first place in the Atlantic Division, two points ahead of the Florida Panthers. The Maple Leafs have played two more games than Florida. The Leafs will return home to face the Colorado Avalanche Wednesday.

Quotes and takeaways coming soon.

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