By Tim Booth / Associated Press
SEATTLE — Mitch Marner scored once and added two assists, Michael Bunting had a goal and an assist, and the Toronto Maple Leafs snapped a two-game losing streak with a 6-2 win over the Seattle Kraken on Monday night.
Marner became the second player from the 2015 draft to reach 400 career points, joining Connor McDavid. It came on Marner’s 17th goal of the season that gave Toronto a 4-1 lead. He also assisted on Bunting’s power-play goal in the first period and helped on David Kampf’s short-handed goal early in the third period with a beautiful drop pass on a breakaway.
“It’s pretty cool achievement,” Marner said. “Obviously got to thank my parents and a lot of people around me. Without them, this isn’t possible. So it’s a moment I can get to share with them and got the puck, stick and stuff like that to be able to give to my parents and stuff like that to enjoy. It’s just a cool moment.”
Marner had an eight-game points streak snapped in Calgary last week in Toronto’s first stop on a three-game trip, but has 22 points in the past 11 games. Auston Matthews added a pair of assists for Toronto, and Jack Campbell made 23 saves.
Seattle’s Calle Jarnkrok scored his ninth goal of the season midway through the first period off a turnover in Toronto’s zone. Jared McCann added a power-play goal in the third period, setting a career-high with his 20th goal of the season.
The Maple Leafs showed their potency on the power play going 2-for-2 with the man-advantage after entering the day with the best power play in the NHL, converting on 30.5% of their chances.
Ondrej Kase scored on the power play in the first period, redirecting Bunting’s shot past Seattle starting goalie Philipp Grubauer. Marner’s power-play goal came at 9:15 of the second period off a rebound.
Alexander Kerfoot opened the scoring for Toronto at 3:56 of the first period beating Grubauer up high on the blocker side after going the previous 12 games without a goal. Jake Muzzin capped the scoring with his second of the season at 18:19 of the third.
Grubauer stopped eight of 11 shots in the first period before being pulled, with some bad luck on Bunting’s goal as it deflected off Seattle defenseman Vince Dunn and caught Grubauer moving the opposite direction. Grubauer was replaced by backup Chris Driedger, who made 11 saves in the final two periods.
Seattle coach Dave Hakstol said he made the goalie switch hoping to shift the momentum.
“At that point, you’re at a point where you give up another one and now you’re in a real deep hole. So really just wanted to change the momentum and try to push the other way,” Hakstol said.
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