Doug Gilmour and Sergei Berezin each scored twice as the Toronto Maple Leafs jumped to a four-goal third-period lead before holding on for a 6-5 victory over the struggling Vancouver Canucks.
Wendel Clark's 18th goal of the season 2:23 into the third period extended Toronto's lead to 6-2 before Vancouver began its comeback.
Martin Gelinas scored twice in a 2:06 span to get the Canucks within 6-4 and Alexander Mogilny tallied a power-play goal with 3:58 remaining, making it a one-goal game. But Toronto goaltender Felix Potvin preserved the win with three saves in the final 30 seconds, stopping Pavel Bure's shot and two by Trevor Linden.
Linden lifted a shot over a prone Potvin and the puck appeared headed for the net, but Toronto defenseman Craig Wolanin gloved the puck out of mid-air. Vancouver argued that a penalty shot should've been called.
"I don't think it was an infraction, of course I just batted it, that's my answer and I'm sticking with it," Wolanin said. "It was in the air and unless it had backspin on it I think it was going in."
"Trevor shot it over Felix and Wolanin grabbed it, that should've been a penalty shot," Gelinas said. "We aren't getting those calls lately, maybe the referee didn't see it. In my mind it was a penalty shot, he grabbed it and threw it away."
Rob Zettler had a goal and an assist and Mats Sundin and Craig Wolanin each set up two goals for Toronto, which snapped a three-game winless streak for its first victory on a six-game road trip. The Maple Leafs, who improved to 8-20-2 on the road, have won three of four meetings with the Canucks this season.
"We had some goals early and we had the lead going into the third period and then we gave up some goals," Gilmour said. "Still we'll take the win, we're very desperate for them."
Scott Walker had a goal and an assist and Linden set up three goals for Vancouver, which has lost six of its last eight games.
"We got down too far, I thought we played really well in the third period, that's the way we should've played the whole game and we're going to have to work on that, playing a full game," Vancouver's Pavel Bure said.
Berezin's first goal of the game and 17th of the season 83 seconds into the contest gave Toronto a 1-0 edge and Gilmour doubled the lead with his first of the game at 6:10.
Walker cut the margin in half 3:26 later with his second goal, but Berezin's second tally of game with 1:43 left in the period gave the Leafs a 3-1 lead.
Esa Tikkanen drew Vancouver within one just 23 seconds into the second period with his 10th goal and 600th career point.
"We played real hard and well in the third," Gelinas said. "Trevor (Linden) was unbelievable, those passes he made I just had to put in the net. We dug oursleves too deep of hole and it's hard to come all the way back."
Zettler restored Toronto's two-goal lead with an unassisted tally at 7:19 and Gilmour made it 5-2 with his second of the game with 96 seconds left in the stanza.
Potvin finished with 30 saves.
Kirk McLean started in net for Vancouver but was pulled at 2:23 of the third period after allowing six goals on 24 shots. Corey Hirsch stopped all seven shots he faced.
Toronto went scoreless on two power-play opportunities and is
1-for-31 with the man advantage over its last 11 contests.
Jon's 3 stars:
1. Doug Gilmour
2. Sergei Berezin
3. Martin Gelinas
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