Nylander has hat trick, Maple Leaf’s defeat flames

Toronto tip Mitch Marner, a decision on game time, did not play and is day to day with an lower body injury. Marner, who will represent Canada at 4 Nations Face-off, leads Maple Leafs and is tied to the fourth in NHL scoring with 70 points (16 goals, 54 assists).

“I thought we did a good job,” Knies said. “Obviously he is a huge player and it will hurt our team he can’t play, but I think guys stepped up and we did a really good job.”

Matt Coronato, Yegor Sharangovich and Joel Farabee scored, and Dustin Wolf made 24 savings for the flames (26-20-7), which has lost four of six.

“Just a strange game,” said Farabee. “I thought our power play was looking so good. Would have been nice to get a couple (penalty kick) killed there and keep the momentum going. A kind was just a weird game completely.”

Coronato gave the flames a 1-0 lead at. 14:16. His original rebound attempt was blocked by Chris Tanev, but he followed it up and shot over a downed Woll on a 5-to-3-power game.

Nylander, who will represent Sweden at 4 Nations Face-off, tied it 1-1 at 2:36 of the second period with a one-hour of Wolf’s blocking on a cross-slot feed from Knies on Power Play.

“I think we just move the puck, keep it simple and keep the puck moving quickly is huge and getting pucker to the net and picking up and scoring,” Nylander said.

Tavares, who had a goal that was rejected in the first period after video review confirmed he knocked the puck in with a high stick, scored 41 seconds later to set Toronto up 2-1 with a backhand at Wolf’s Glove from Slot on another power play.