Andersen Makes 40 Saves, Maple Leafs Blank Panthers 1-0
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TORONTO (AP) — Frederik Andersen made 40 saves and James van Riemsdyk scored the only goal as the surging Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Florida Panthers 1-0 on Tuesday night.
The shutout was Andersen's career-best fifth of the season. The 28-year-old goalie has reached 30 wins for the third time.
Toronto (37-20-5) has won 11 of 12 and improved to 14-4-2 since Jan. 4.
The Panthers (26-25-6) have dropped back-to-back games after opening their five-game road trip with three straight wins. Florida entered the night six points out of a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Florida threatened in the third with goaltender Roberto Luongo pulled for an extra attacker, but Andersen managed to thwart the Panthers' best chance — a point shot from Keith Yandle with 23 seconds remaining.
Luongo stopped 30 shots in the loss.
Van Riemsdyk scored with 28 seconds left in the first period, beating Luongo between the legs with a shot from the faceoff dot for his 25th of the season. Jake Gardiner had an assist for his 200th NHL point.
Patrick Marleau nearly made it a two-goal game 1:02 into the third by finishing off a 2-on-1 feed from Mitch Marner, but couldn't beat the right pad of Luongo.
With 2:40 remaining, Leo Komarov's shot beat Luongo but rang off the post.
The Panthers defeated the Maple Leafs 2-1 in a shootout on Nov. 22 in the only previous meeting between the teams this season. Toronto visits Florida on Feb. 27.
NOTES: The Maple Leafs traded forward Eric Fehr to San Jose for a 2020 seventh-round draft pick. The move drops Toronto to 48 contracts and gives general manager Lou Lamoriello added flexibility before next week's trade deadline. . Marleau (1,555) passed Jarome Iginla for 12th place on the NHL's career list for games played. . Yandle played in his 800th career game. The 31-year-old defenseman owns the NHL's longest active streak with 689 consecutive games played.
UP NEXT
Panthers: Host the Washington Capitals on Thursday night.
Maple Leafs: Continue their three-game homestand Thursday night against the New York Islanders.
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