Blue Jackets beat Maple Leafs despite Tavares's best efforts

Here's how to make your house a home: let John Tavares renovate it.

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While their generous string of dates on Bay Street to kick off this NHL season ended Thursday, The Maple Leafs tried to make the most of of his last two there for a while, taking three points out of a possible four.

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Adam Fantilli scored two goals with 38.8 seconds left in overtime to beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2. Tavares led the comeback with two goals in regulation at Scotiabank Arena. His third-period goal, a goal from rookie Easton Cowan, was his 12th after setting up William Nylander's goal in overtime against St. Louis.

He nearly gave Toronto the lead with six minutes left with a steal deep in the Jackets' pocket and got a chance in the extra period.

After the NHL schedule gave them 15 of their first 21 home games, Toronto finished the series with an 8-4-3 record. This is still below what they intended to save. on their scorecard as Thursday's sendoff begins what will be a season-high six-game road trip. This is also a big reason why they sit so low in the Atlantic Division.

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Short lineup leads to more line juggling

It was yet another unfamiliar lineup that coach Craig Berube had to assemble. with all the recent injuriesalthough he was able to welcome Scott Laughton in just his third game this season. Centered by Stephen Lorenz and Cowan, they were Toronto's most effective line in a scoreless first period, while Laughton again excelled in the penalty kill role.

Toronto had a rare two-man lead to work with for the first 20 minutes, and while unlikely players like Calle Jarnkrok were part of the power play lineup, the Leafs controlled the puck well when not scoring.

Instead, the key opening goal went to Dmitry Voronkov. He got part of Fantilli's defended shot past Joseph Wall early in the second period before Fantilli, one of three GTA-born players on Columbus' roster, added another 2:11 later as Toronto tried to trade all five tired skaters under sustained pressure.

A similar scenario was part of Toronto's eventual response, a fourth-line push that forced the Jackets into a icing before Tavares broke a tie with defenseman Dakota Mermis for the journeyman's first NHL goal since Feb. 24, 2024. Berube swapped Jarnkrok for Cowan midway through the game.

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