Randy Carlyle's return to Toronto ended in victory for his Anaheim Ducks.
The Ducks scored two power-play goals, including the go-ahead game-winner from Cam Fowler, beating the Maple Leafs 3-2 on Monday night. Nick Ritchie and Ryan Getzlaf added goals in the win for Anaheim, John Gibson impressive with 33 saves.
Former Ducks goaltender Frederik Andersen made 25 stops for the Leafs, Auston Matthews adding his ninth goal in the last 12 games in defeat, while Nazem Kadri put away his 11th of the season.
Carlyle was returning to the Air Canada Centre for the first time since he was dismissed as the Leafs head coach almost two years ago.
Penalties marred the opening period, especially on the home side with the Leafs taking and then killing off three consecutive Ducks power plays. Anaheim entered the night with second best power play in the NHL, trailing only the surging Columbus Blue Jackets.
Gibson stones Hyman
The Leafs actually had some of the period's best chances while shorthanded. Connor Brown stole a puck and fed Leo Komarov in front on the first Ducks man advantage, his shot stopped by Gibson. Later, it was Zach Hyman picking a puck off Ducks defender Sami Vatanen and breaking in alone on Gibson. Hyman went backhand to forehand, his attempt just stopped by the outstretched left skate of the Ducks goaltender.
The 24-year-old had a hand in setting up the game's first goal. Hyman helped free the puck loose from Ducks centre Ryan Getzlaf along the wall, Nikita Zaitsev's point shot eventually redirected impressively by Matthews. The 19-year-old Matthews had one hand on the stick when he extended to guide it past Gibson.
It was Matthews's team-leading 15th goal of the year. He sits second among all NHL rookies in goals (15) and points (24), trailing only Winnipeg's Patrik Laine.
Facing his former team for the first time since a summer trade from Anaheim, Andersen was sharp all evening. He made a right pad stop on a Rickard Rakell redirection in the opening moments of the second, then came up two stops on a Ducks rush later in the period. He later shut down a break for Getzlaf and Corey Perry, square to Perry's chance from in tight.
Andersen, who was drafted by the Ducks in 2012, entered the night with a .940 save percentage in December after posting a .931 mark in November.
Ryan Getzlaf tied the game at one with less than two minutes to go in the middle frame. It was an awkward power-play goal, his shot caroming off the legs of Leafs defenders Morgan Rielly and Roman Polak in front before beating Andersen.
Toronto has allowed at least one power-play goal in five consecutive games, the club owning the 11th best penalty kill coming into the game (23rd at home).
The Leafs had plenty of trouble in the faceoff circle against Anaheim, the NHL's top faceoff team. The Ducks won 20-of-24 second period draws.
Bozak, Smith out with injuries
The Leafs were missing their two best on the draw with centres Tyler Bozak (57.8 per cent) and Ben Smith (53.1 per cent) both sidelined by injury. They were replaced in the lineup by 21-year-old Frederik Gauthier and winger Josh Leivo, with rookie William Nylander shifting to centre for the first time all year.
The Ducks went ahead after barely one minute had gone by in the third. The play started when Nylander turned the puck over trying to make a move around an Anaheim player at his own blue-line. Ondrej Case would eventually set up Ritchie in front, the Orangeville, Ont., native notching his eighth goal of the year.
Toronto had an opportunity to tie the game on a power play shortly after, but Gibson came up big when required. He made an emphatic glove stop of Kadri and then got in front of a Matthews one-time attempt in the slot, subsequent rebounds also denied. The 23-year-old later snared a Nylander attempt with another highlight-reel glove save.
The Ducks traded Andersen to the Leafs with the intent of handing Gibson No. 1 duties for the first time. Gibson had a lowly .906 save percentage ahead of Monday's action.
It was a strange shot that ultimately beat Gibson and evened the score at two, Kadri whipping a shot from the point that banged off the leg of former Leaf Korbinian Holzer in front.
Fowler put the Ducks back in front 3-2 with their second power-play goal with less than seven minutes left in the third. Kesler won another faceoff, setting up Fowler for the one-time shot.
Ducks help Carlyle get last laugh on Leafs
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