{{pageModel.leagueAbbr}} {{pageModel.subtitle}} | Las Vegas Review-Journal
National Hockey League
Toronto 4, Anaheim 0
When: 10:00 PM ET, Wednesday, January 6, 2016
Where: Honda Center, Anaheim, California
Referees: Tom Chmielewski, Brad Meier
Linesmen: Kiel Murchison, Jay Sharrers
Attendance: 16283

ANAHEIM, Calif. - With nearly half the season completed, the Toronto Maple Leafs have a message for the rest of the NHL: We're not the patsies we used to be.

Goalie Jonathan Bernier tied a season high with 39 saves for his second shutout while right winger Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau scored two goals to lead the Maple Leafs to a 4-0 rout of the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday night in front of 16,283 at the Honda Center.

"'Bernie' was the difference, for sure," Leafs defenseman Dion Phaneuf said about Bernier. "He made some big saves. Bernie kept us in the game and we found a way to get our legs after the first five minutes.

Bernier survived a barrage of 11 shots in the first nine minutes in earning his 11th career shutout.

"It's frustrating when you have so many chances and don't score," Ducks right winger Corey Perry said. "We had 18 shots in the first period, then we got away from our game plan."

Center Tyler Bozak added two assists, giving him the team lead with 18, and Phaneuf contributed his 300th career assist for the Leafs (16-15-7), who now won three consecutive games and six of their past eight. The Ducks (16-16-7) entered the contest having won four of their previous five.

"I think we're becoming a pretty good team," Parenteau said. "We're having fun on the ice and we're getting better as the game goes on, which is really important at this time of the year."

The Leafs have qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs only once since 2004, in the lockout-shortened 2013 season, and have not won the Cup since 1967. But under new coach Mike Babcock, the Leafs are playing a style that combines discipline with rapid puck movement.

"We've done a better job of managing games this year," Phaneuf said. "That's an important part of being consistent and playing a structured game."

Anaheim goalie John Gibson, named to the Pacific Division's team for the NHL All-Star Game, left 41 seconds into the third period after Leafs center Nazem Kadri collided with him. Kadri slipped while attempting an off-balance shot, and his left leg hit Gibson's right hip. Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau said he had no further knowledge of the extent of Gibson's injury,

Frederik Andersen replaced Gibson, who stopped 22 shots.

Despite not registering a shot on goal for the first 5 minutes, 16 seconds, Toronto took a 1-0 lead on Parenteau's 10th goal. Bozak began the scoring sequence by winning a faceoff in Anaheim's end and sending the puck to defenseman Matt Hunwick, who fired a shot from just inside the blue line. But Hunwick's shot hit a player and the puck ricocheted to Parenteau, who converted from the slot at 8:54 of the first period.

Parenteau's shot was just the Leafs' third on goal.

Toronto extended its lead to 3-0 in the second period by scoring twice within five minutes. Parenteau converted the rebound of left winger James van Riemsdyk's backhanded shot for his 11th goal at 7:38.

"In the first 10 minutes of the second period, we really took over," Parenteau said. "I think that's where we won the game."

Boudreau agreed.

"Once they scored that second goal," Boudreau said, "you could see the air come out of the sails on the bench."

Then at 12:35, Kadri culminated a 3-on-2 rush with his eighth goal. With Kadri trailing the play, right winger Leo Komarov faked a slap shot at the right circle to freeze Ducks defenseman Kevin Bieksa before sending a cross-ice pass to Kadri, who fired a wrist shot from the left circle.

"I don't think we've been averaging more than one odd-man rush against us per game," Boudreau said. "Tonight, it was happening in multitudes."

Right winger Brad Boyes ended the scoring 2:47 into the third period. Boyes deflected Phaneuf's shot from the right point off Anaheim defenseman Sami Vatanen and past Andersen for his fourth goal. Phaneuf earned his 300th career assist on the play.

NOTES: Wednesday marked the one-year anniversary of Randy Carlyle's dismissal as Maple Leafs coach. He directed the Ducks to their only Stanley Cup in 2007. Current Leafs coach Mike Babcock led Anaheim to the 2003 Cup final, won by the New Jersey Devils. ... Toronto scratched G Antoine Bibeau, D Frank Corrado and C Byron Froese. ... Leafs C Nazem Kadri had 11 points in his past 11 games going into Wednesday. Kadri began the season with just nine points in his first 26 games. ... Anaheim scratched D Clayton Stoner and LW Jiri Sekac. ... Ducks G John Gibson was named the NHL's rookie of the month for December. Gibson compiled a 5-3-1 record with three shutouts, a 1.62 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage last month.
Top Game Performances
 
Toronto   Anaheim
P.A. Parenteau 2 Points N/A
P.A. Parenteau 2 Goals N/A
Tyler Bozak 2 Assists N/A
N/A Power Play Goals N/A
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Jonathan Bernier 1.000 Save Percentage Frederik Andersen .923
Jonathan Bernier 39 Saves John Gibson 22
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Toronto 38 4 0-6 2-2 13 30
Anaheim 39 0 0-2 6-6 31 34
Upcoming Games
  • Anaheim will play their next game at home against St. Louis. The Ducks have a W/L % of .353 after a win and .455 after a loss.
  • Toronto will play their next game on the road against Los Angeles. The Maple Leafs have a W/L % of .467 after a win and .391 after a loss.