AUSTON MATTHEWS

DETROIT – Strong goaltending, solid defensive play and timely goaltending Thursday enabled the Detroit Red Wings to finally solve the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ville Husso made 32 saves and the Red Wings defeated the Leafs 4-1 at Little Caesars Arena. Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider (on the power play with 20 seconds remaining) also scored for the Red Wings (18-15-7), who have won back-to-back games. It was the Red Wings’ first regulation victory against Toronto since Dec. 15, 2017. The Red Wings led 1-0 after one period on Raymond’s 12th goal of the season.

The Detroit Red Wings overcame fatigue and sluggishness to snap a three-game losing streak Tuesday. Toronto has won nine in a row against the Red Wings, outscoring them 48-21. The Red Wings haven’t beaten the Leafs since Feb. 1, 2019 (3-2 in overtime). The Red Wings hope to build on their 7-5 victory over a good Winnipeg team but with a more energetic effort. The Red Wings’ special teams are trending in the wrong direction, especially the penalty kill which has allowed nine goals on 24 chances over the past seven games.

TORONTO — Mitch Marner had a goal and an assist to reach the 500 career points as the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 on Saturday night. John Tavares had two goals and Pontus Holmberg also scored for Toronto, which snapped a two-game skid with its first win of the month. Jake Walman scored for Detroit in its third straight loss. Marner tied it 24 seconds into the second with a sharp-angled goal on a rebound from Matthews’ point shot that went wide and off the boards behind the net. Holmberg gave the Leafs a two-goal advantage when he tipped in Morgan Rielly’s point shot 6:19 into the third for his fourth.

Toronto’s Auston Matthews won the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player, beating out Edmonton’s Connor McDavid and Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers to win the award for the first time.

Ross Colton scored twice, Andrei Vasilevskiy had 22 saves and the Tampa Bay Lightning got off to a fast start and beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 7-3 in Game 4 to even their first-round playoff series.

Jack Cambell had 32 saves — including three to protect the lead on a late power play — and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-2 in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series.

The Finnish goaltender stopped all but one of the 36 shots he face in Carolina’s 5-1 victory in game one. Expect Jeremy Swayme to start his first playoff game on Wednesday night, after Linus Ullmark gave up four goals on just 24 shots in game one. Atlantic Division(3) Tampa Bay Lightning vs. (2) Toronto Maple Leafs (Leafs lead 1-0)I can assure you one expected game one between the two-time defending Stanley Cup Champs and the Maple Leafs to go the way it did. The win marks the Blues’ sixth-straight win over the Wild dating back to last season. Brendan Lemieux also scored for L.A., while Jonathan Quick looked his past self, making 36 saves in his first playoff game in four years.

To mark the occasion, we’ve put together a three-team parlay to hopefully add to the excitement and deliver a nice winner at +473 odds. Here are the legs:Toronto Maple Leafs ML (-128)St. Louis Blues ML (+118)Edmonton Oilers ML (-210)Parlay odds: +473As you can see, for this parlay we’re going with two favorites and one underdog to potentially give us a payout of just under 5/1. Let’s break each of the picks down for this NHL Playoffs parlay. Toronto Maple Leafs ML over Tampa Bay Lightning (-128)If you’re looking for maximum star power, this is the series for you. Arguably the most exciting first-round series of the NHL Playoffs features Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov.

The eight playoff teams in the Eastern Conference have been set since before the All-Star break.

Couple that with the Detroit Red Wings’ depleted lineup, and this was destined to be an even tougher task than usual for the visitors. “When you become the first Toronto Maple Leaf to score 60 goals, given the level of players they’ve had, the history of great, great players, it’s amazing,” Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. “It’s a great, great achievement. He’s been a really good player from the day he stepped into the league, but he’s really taken it to another level on both sides of the puck. It is the eight time the Red Wings have been blanked.

Auston Matthews scored a pair of goals Tuesday, giving him 60 for the season, and the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Detroit Red Wings 3-0 at Scotiabank Arena. The Red Wings (31-40-10) finish the season Friday at New Jersey (7 p.m., Bally Sports Detroit). The Leafs swept the four-game season series from the Red Wings, outscoring them 25-15, and have won seven in a row overall against Detroit. The depleted Red Wings were missing forwards Dylan Larkin, Tyler Bertuzzi, Robby Fabbri, Filip Zadina and Adam Erne and defenseman Marc Staal (COVID protocol). More: Why Red Wings didn’t get a look at Jonatan Berggren this season

Brandon Montour scored 2:26 into overtime and the NHL-leading Florida Panthers extended their winning streak to a franchise-record 13 games by beating the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 on Saturday night.

Five players made their NHL debut Tuesday night, fresh off their college season ending.

The Tampa Bay Lightning haven't been through struggles like this in many years.

Mitchell Marner had four goals and two assists, including a natural hat trick during the first 9:19 of the second period, and the Toronto Maple Leafs withstood a third-period rally to down the Detroit Red Wings 10-7.

The Detroit Red Wings will be trying to avoid their first losing streak in exactly one month when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. [Find a “$1000 risk free bet″ deal from FanDuel Sportsbook here]Let’s take a look at our best bets for this Atlantic showdown between the Wings and Leafs. Maple Leafs -1.5 (+125)In this Original Six matchup, Toronto has been the far superior side throughout the season. In fact, the Red Wings might even need more than that. The Red Wings have failed to deal with other top offenses in recent weeks, as well.

The Leafs are continuing to gear up for another playoff appearance, in hopes of erasing the disappointment from the past half-decade. Since the All-Star Break, Toronto is 2-3, and hoping star center Auston Matthews can carry this team into the postseason. Watch the NHL on ESPN+On the compete opposite end of the spectrum sits the Montreal Canadiens. The first time these two rivals met came on opening night in October, with the Leafs squeaking out a 2-1 win. What: NHL HockeyWho: Toronto Maple Leafs (32-13-3) vs. Montreal Canadiens (10-33-7)When: Monday, February 21Time: 7:00 p.m.

Most of the world’s best hockey players are spending this weekend in Las Vegas instead of the Olympic village in Beijing.

Michael Bunting had three goals, Rasmus Sandin scored the tiebreaker with 2:51 remaining and the Toronto Maple Leafs rallied for five unanswered goals in the third period to beat the Detroit Red Wings 7-4.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin has been selected to the 2022 NHL All-Star Atlantic Division roster.

Washington star Alexander Ovechkin and high-scoring Edmonton teammates Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl headline the rosters for the NHL All-Star Weekend announced Thursday.

Edmonton captain and reigning league MVP Connor McDavid has been placed on on NHL’s COVID-19 protocol list.

I’ll work my way through each team in the league, alphabetically by division.

A person with direct knowledge of discussions tells The Associated Press that the NHL is reintroducing enhanced COVID-19 protocols.

A look at Nathan Chen, Alysa Liu, Auston Matthews, Maame Biney and other notable athletes expected to compete for Team USA at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

Auston Matthews is one of the brightest stars in hockey, and he's ready to make his mark on Team USA as he prepares to embark on his first Olympic journey.

Monday night’s NHL action is highlighted by a classic Original Six matchup between one team that has extremely high expectations taking on a young, but tougher team looking to be more competitive, as the Toronto Maple Leafs host the New York Rangers. After playoff disappointment for the past five seasons, the Leafs are going to try and right those wrongs with an altered roster this season. After getting embarrassed in their season opener against the Washington Capitals, New York stumbled to an overtime loss to the Dallas Stars. What: NHL HockeyWho: New York Rangers vs. Toronto Maple LeafsWhen: Monday, October 18Time: 7:00 p.m. Channel: NHL NetworkStream: FuboTV (7-day free trial), Sling, DirecTV StreamCheck out the NHL standings and results here

Keep track of all the NHL players selected to represent their countries at the Beijing Olympics.

Learn about what's happened in the sport of hockey since the 2018 Olympic Games.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid ran away in the voting to win his second Hart Trophy as NHL MVP after leading the league in points.

The Buffalo Sabres have removed the interim tag from Don Granato and named him the team's full-time coach.

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews and Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon have been named finalists for the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP.

Auston Matthews scored his NHL-leading 36th goal of the season as the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Vancouver Canucks 4-1 on Thursday night.

Many draft-eligible prospects and NHL teams attempting to pick them face an uncertain future after many leagues were unable to hold full seasons or play at all because of the pandemic.

Rewind to 2019 and early 2020 and that description fits the Tampa Bay Lightning, who added some grit and toughness to their talented core and went on to win the Stanley Cup. The Lightning effect was clear as soon as NHL free agency opened. “You need guys that are going to have a little bit of sandpaper. “We maybe have taken a little bit of a step back from the most skillful lineup we’ve ever had to more of a balance between the will and the skill," Poile said. We certainly have a little bit more physicality, a little bit more grit and I think it’s probably and hopefully a better mix than we had last year.”___More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

TORONTO, ONT Auston Matthews and John Tavares scored and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-0 on Tuesday to even their best-of-five qualifying series at one game. Five Leafs power plays helped keep the Blue Jackets on their heels. Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno was just as disappointed. ... Blue Jackets D Dean Kukan left the bench for observation in the first period after a big hit by Toronto's Kyle Clifford but returned later in the period. That also was the first playoff shutout in Blue Jackets history.

FILE - In this Feb. 16, 2019, file photo, St. Louis Blues right wing Vladimir Tarasenko, right, is congratulated as he passes the team box after scoring a goal against the Colorado Avalanche during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Denver. Tarasenko makes his return after early season shoulder surgery that limited him to three goals in 10 games. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

Ditto for St. Louis, the defending Stanley Cup champions. The Blues and Avalanche were navigating through some key injuries before the season was halted in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. The hiatus allowed time to heal and now the top two teams in the Western Conference return as Cup favorites. The two teams get things rolling Sunday in Edmonton by facing each other to kick off a round-robin tournament to determine seeding in the West. It should be a fun ride.Back on the ice for the Blues is forward Vladimir Tarasenko, who underwent shoulder surgery in late October.

TORONTO – Michael Hutchinson made 29 saves in his first win of the season and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 on Saturday night for their fourth straight victory overall and first with a No. Zach Hyman and Auston Matthews each had two goals and an assist for the Maple Leafs (19-14-4). Tyler Bertuzzi scored for the Red Wings (9-25-3), who have lost 15 of 17. The Leafs scored again when Matthews finished off a pass in front from Marner at 13:39. The Red Wings took advantage of the man advantage, spoiling Hutchinson's shutout bid when Bertuzzi scored with 1:44 remaining in the game.

(Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)DETROIT - On a night when their biggest stars were quiet offensively, the Toronto Maple Leafs still scored plenty. Ilya Mikheyev put the Maple Leafs ahead in the final minute of the second period when goalie Jimmy Howard's gamble backfired, and Toronto went on to beat the Detroit Red Wings 5-2 on Saturday night, snapping a three-game losing streak. Instead, the Maple Leafs got goals from Mikheyev, Nicholas Shore, Alexander Kerfoot, Jake Muzzin and Trevor Moore. The Maple Leafs tied it when Timashov won a battle for the puck behind the net and found Shore, who had plenty of time to beat Howard from in front. "We thought our work ethic was really good in camp, really good at the start," Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock said.