DETROIT (AP) The resurgent Toronto Maple Leafs are enjoying life under new coach Sheldon Keefe.
Andreas Johnsson had two goals and an assist, and Toronto routed the skidding Detroit Red Wings 6-0 on Wednesday night for its third straight win since Keefe got the job.
”We’re getting everyone involved and getting more offense,” defenseman Tyson Barrie said. ”Once you get a goal and a couple points, you start to feel better.”
Barrie scored his third of the season – all in the last three games – and also had an assist. Frederik Andersen made 25 saves for his 17th career shutout.
William Nylander had a goal and an assist, and John Tavares and Travis Dermott also scored. Ilya Mikheyev and Morgan Rielly added two assists apiece.
”I really liked the way we started. We won faceoffs, got the puck down the ice and got some goals,” said Keefe, who took over when Mike Babcock was fired last Wednesday. ”I thought we forced some breaks with our pressure, which is what we wanted to do.”
Detroit has lost seven straight (0-5-2) and was shut out for the second consecutive game. The Red Wings have not scored in 156:28 and have allowed 13 straight goals since Taro Hirose scored 3:32 into the second period Saturday in a 5-1 loss to New Jersey.
”I think we’re not managing the puck. We’re not putting it in good spots for our teammates,” center Dylan Larkin said. ”I believe that the work ethic’s there but we’re not working smartly with it.”
Jimmy Howard made eight saves for Detroit before limping off the ice with trainer Piet Van Zant with a mid-body injury after Tavares’ goal halfway through the first period made it 3-0. Backup goalie Jonathan Bernier was not on the bench because he was ill, but took over for Howard after a delay that lasted more than five minutes. Bernier finished with 40 saves.
Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said Howard probably won’t be able to play when the Red Wings visit the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday.
The Maple Leafs led 2-0 before the game was three minutes old.
Dermott opened the scoring at 1:04 with his second goal and Barrie got his at 2:24. Tavares made it 3-0 at 9:48 with his seventh goal.
Nylander and Johnsson scored early in the second. Johnsson added his seventh, on a power play, at 7:07 of the period.
NOTES: Toronto C Alexander Kerfoot served the first of his two-game suspension for a hit Saturday on Colorado D Erik Johnson. … Detroit RW Anthony Mantha will miss at least two weeks with a lower-body injury sustained Saturday. … The 26 shots allowed by the Red Wings in the second period were a season high. . The previous Maple Leafs coach to win his first three games was Pat Quinn in 1998-99.
UP NEXT
Maple Leafs: At the Buffalo Sabres on Friday.
Red Wings: At the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday.
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