EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) Oilers defenseman Kris Russell accidentally fired the puck into his own net late in the third period, handing the Toronto Maple Leafs the go-ahead goal Thursday night in a 6-4 victory over Edmonton.
William Nylander had a goal and two assists for Toronto. Auston Matthews, Dominic Moore, Matt Martin, Patrick Marleau and Nazem Kadri also scored for the Maple Leafs (17-9-1). Frederik Andersen stopped 41 shots for the win.
Marleau was credited with the winner after Russell’s gaffe with 1:05 remaining.
As he battled with Kadri for a bouncing puck in the lower part of the faceoff circle, Russell spun around and tried to clear toward the corner, out of harm’s way. Instead, he smacked the puck right through the legs of goalie Laurent Brossoit.
When he saw it go in, a dejected Russell slumped his shoulders and bent over at the knees.
Russell had tied the score for Edmonton early in the third. Mark Letestu, Zack Kassian and Connor McDavid also scored for the Oilers (10-14-2), who won their previous two games.
Brossoit started in place of injured Cam Talbot, expected to miss at least the next two weeks. Brossoit made 30 saves.
The Maple Leafs scored on their first shot 2:15 into the game when Nylander made a great feed on the power play to set up Matthews for his 13th goal of the season.
Toronto made it 2-0 six minutes into the opening period when Moore beat Brossoit to the stick side with a wrist shot.
The Oilers got back into the game with seven minutes left in the first on a goal by Letestu, but the Maple Leafs responded just 29 seconds later as a turnover at the blue line led to Martin being left alone at the side of the net to score his second of the season.
Edmonton made it a one-goal game again 6 1/2 minutes into the second period as Jujhar Khaira made a nice backhand feed from behind the net to Kassian, who scored his second of the season in as many games.
The Oilers tied it late in the second period when McDavid tipped Russell’s point shot past Andersen.
Toronto moved back in front less than a minute later on a power-play goal by Nylander. Edmonton evened it again three minutes into the third as Russell scored on a drive from the point.
Kadri added an empty-netter with a second left in the third.
NOTES: Oilers defenseman Adam Larsson was a surprise scratch with an upper-body injury after participating in pregame warmups.
UP NEXT
Maple Leafs: At the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday.
Oilers: At the Calgary Flames on Saturday.
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