Nylander’s OT Goal Lifts Maple Leafs Over Penguins in 6-5 Game
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By Nemanja Petković
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Summary:
- William Nylander’s overtime winner capped off a back-and-forth game, extending Toronto’s winning streak to five.
- Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and Sidney Crosby made history with key career achievements.
- The Leafs won their eighth game in a row, while Pittsburgh lost six of its last seven despite Crosby’s standout performance.
William Nylander scored the game-winner in the Toronto Maple Leafs game on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Penguins a minute into overtime, leading his team to a thrilling 6-5 victory.
8 Wins Out of 9 Games for Toronto
Toronto has been red-hot, winning eight of their last nine games while consistently scoring at least three goals in each victory.
Their offensive depth and ability to capitalize on key moments have been critical factors in their current success.
Toronto’s offensive firepower was on full display, with Nylander, Auston Matthews, and Matthew Knies each contributing a goal and an assist.
John Tavares, Max Domi, and Conor Timmins also found the back of the net, helping the Maple Leafs extend their winning streak to five games.
Nylander’s decisive tally marked his 35th goal of the campaign and the 252nd of his career, moving him past Bob Pulford for 10th place on Toronto’s all-time goal-scoring list.
Matthews, meanwhile, extended his impressive point streak to nine games and netted his 390th career goal, surpassing Darryl Sittler for second in franchise history, trailing only the legendary Mats Sundin.
Mitch Marner also made history, recording an assist to leapfrog George Armstrong for fifth place on the Maple Leafs’ all-time points leaderboard with 714.
Crosby Reaches 611 Goals and 1,050 Assists
Sidney Crosby led the charge for Pittsburgh with a goal and two assists, achieving significant milestones in the process.
His goal elevated him to 18th place on the NHL’s all-time scoring list, surpassing Bobby Hull, while his assists helped him overtake Gordie Howe for 10th in league history.
Crosby now boasts 611 goals and 1,050 assists in his remarkable career. Rickard Rakell contributed two goals, including his 500th NHL point, while Bryan Rust and Cody Glass also scored for the Penguins.
Goaltender Joel Blomqvist made 27 saves in the losing effort.
As Sunday’s game showed, Pittsburgh is still struggling, dropping six of their last seven games, including a tough loss to Boston on Saturday.
The Leafs, who have proven their ability to remain undefeated and close out games when leading after two periods this NHL season, will host the San Jose Sharks on Monday when they will be looking to continue their winning streak.
Pittsburgh will travel to Colorado for a Tuesday night matchup against the Avalanche.
