Music: {allcanada} Maple Leafs end eight-game slide by beating Flames

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

{allcanada} Maple Leafs end eight-game slide by beating Flames

PRISM (Deluxe Version) - Katy Perry / ARTPOP - Lady Gaga

TORONTO -- Toronto Maple Leafs forward David Clarkson picked the right night to break his goal drought.

Clarkson scored a breakaway goal at 5:47 of the third period that proved to be the game-winner in a 3-2 victory against the Calgary Flames on Tuesday that snapped Toronto's eight-game losing streak.

Mason Raymond sprung Clarkson on a breakaway, and he beat Flames goalie Karri Ramo for his first goal since Feb. 4 against the Florida Panthers and his first point in 17 games.

Clarkson's goal gave the Maple Leafs a 3-1 lead, but the Flames made the Air Canada Centre crowd nervous when Kris Russell scored his sixth goal of the season at 7:24 of the third. Russell found room alone in the faceoff circle to the left of goalie Jonathan Bernier (19 saves) and snapped a wrist shot over his shoulder.

Toronto (37-32-8) moved within one point of the Columbus Blue Jackets for the second Eastern Conference wild-card position in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Maple Leafs grabbed a 1-0 lead 50 seconds into the second period when Jay McClement scored his fourth goal of the season. McClement batted a cross-crease pass from defenseman Cody Franson behind Ramo, who finished with 20 saves.

Calgary thought it had tied the game at 6:53 when forward Curtis Glencross knocked down a point shot from defenseman Chris Butler and the puck went past Bernier. But after video review, referees determined the puck was deflected into the net with a high stick.

The Flames got a goal that counted at 16:55 when Matt Stajan beat Bernier on a breakaway. Stajan took a lead pass from defenseman T.J. Brodie, got in behind the defense, deked Bernier and slipped the puck underneath him for his 13th goal of the season.

Dave Bolland put Toronto ahead to stay 2:16 into the third period with his eighth goal of the season. Bolland took a pass from defenseman Morgan Rielly and banked the puck off the stick of Brodie and past Ramo. It was Bolland's second goal since he returned from a cut ankle tendon on March 22.

Paul Ranger returned to the Maple Leafs lineup for the first time since he suffered an injured neck against the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 19.

Grey's Anatomy / The Big Bang Theory