Marchenko scores in return as Leafs top Blue Jackets 6-2

COLUMBUS, Ohio: Kirill Marchenko scored on the power play in his return to Columbus and Easton Cowan added a short-handed goal as the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Blue Jackets 6-2 on Tuesday night.

Marchenko, acquired Sept. 28 in a six-player deal that sent Matthew Knies to Columbus, tied the game 1-1 at 8:16 of the first period when a shot from Auston Matthews deflected in off his skate. It was his first game against his former team since the trade.

Toronto took control with two goals in 46 seconds early in the second. William Nylander scored at 2:26 from the right circle and Matthews followed at 3:12 on a cross-ice pass from Jack Roslovic. Cowan scored short-handed at 6:48, and Roslovic made it 5-1 at 12:03 on a backdoor pass from Morgan Rielly.

Charlie Coyle cut it to 5-2 early in the third, scoring while on his stomach at the side of the net. Marshall Rifai scored his first NHL goal, in his fifth career game, at 16:58 to close the scoring. Jake Christiansen had given Columbus a 1-0 lead at 2:38 of the first.

Anthony Stolarz made 35 saves for Toronto, NHL.com reported. Jet Greaves allowed five goals on 19 shots in 32:03 before Cam Talbot took over for Columbus.

“It was especially nice for sure, but I tried to think about my game,” Marchenko said. “I try to focus on things that I can control.”

“On a back to back, you want to try to play simple, especially on the road,” Rielly said. “I thought everyone did a good job, outstanding. I thought the goalie was outstanding.”

Cowan, 21, became the first Leafs player 21 or younger to score short-handed since Mitch Marner on Feb. 14, 2019, the league said. Matthews scored his 436th career goal in his 700th game. Defenceman Jake McCabe left in the first period after a high stick to the face and did not return.

“I didn’t see that coming,” Columbus coach Rick Bowness said. “We made it a little too easy on their top-down guys. They made us pay the price.”

Toronto improved to 5-4-2 after a 3-1 win over the San Jose Sharks on Monday, a game decided by a McKenna goal. The Leafs had lost three straight before that, and earlier this season fell 4-1 to the New York Islanders. Columbus fell to 3-5-0.

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Via NHL.com.