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Monday, November 30, 2015

{allcanada} Maple Leafs' Sparks shuts out Oilers in NHL debut

 

TORONTO -- Garret Sparks made 24 saves to become the 25th goalie to earn a shutout in his NHL debut and help the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 3-0 victory against the Edmonton Oilers at Air Canada Centre on Monday.

Leo Komarov scored two goals for Toronto (8-11-5), which ended a three-game losing streak (0-2-1).

Sparks was called up from the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League on Saturday to replace James Reimer, who has a lower-body injury.

After Jonathan Bernier slipped to 0-8-1 in a 4-2 loss to the Washington Capitals on Saturday, Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock decided to turn the net over the Sparks.

Sparks is the seventh goalie to debut in the NHL with a shutout since 2000.

Edmonton outshot Toronto 8-3 in the opening period, but the Maple Leafs took a 1-0 lead on Komarov's first of the night at 6:45 with Oilers center Leon Draisaitl in the penalty box for hooking. Komarov converted a nifty three-way passing play from in tight to establish a new NHL career high with his ninth goal.

The Maple Leafs turned the tables on the Oilers in the second period, outshooting them 13-8, but it was Edmonton that had the two best scoring chances. Defenseman Justin Schultz took a slap shot from the top of the right faceoff circle that beat Sparks but hit the post at 7:08. Then seven minutes later, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins hit the post with a shot from the high slot.

The Maple Leafs, who were shorthanded for the first 1:02 of the third period, were unable to add to their lead on either of two 2-on-1 opportunities in the first 1:15 of the period.

Toronto did make it 2-0 at 7:33 when Nazem Kadri tipped a Jake Gardiner snap shot from the left point past Anders Nilsson from the high slot for his third goal. Video review confirmed the ruling on the ice Kadri's stick was below the crossbar when it contacted the puck.

Komarov completed the scoring with an empty-net goal with 1:01 remaining.

The Maple Leafs begin a three-game road trip at the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday.

The Oilers (8-15-2) went 1-3-1 on their five-game road trip.

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