TORONTO, ON — Zach Aston-Reese scored twice, Joseph Woll made 24 saves and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2 on Tuesday night.
Woll was recalled from the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League on an emergency basis after Matt Murray left with a head injury Sunday in a 5-2 loss to Detroit. Woll improved to 4-1-0 this season with the Maple Leafs.
Alexander Kerfoot and Auston Mathews, into an empty net, also scored for Toronto. Sam Lafferty had two assists.
Ilya Samsonov, who was already trending to be Toronto’s starter when the playoffs get going in less than two weeks against Tampa Bay, served as Woll’s backup.
Jack Roslovic and Eric Robinson scored for Columbus and Jet Greaves stopped 46 shots in his NHL debut.
The Leafs hosted their annual Pride night, but as in years past, did not wear themed warmup jerseys. Toronto had rainbow stick tape available to players for the pregame skate, while helmets included decals
Toronto opened the scoring five minutes into the first period when Aston-Reese beat Greaves for his ninth.
Battered by a long list of injuries all season and icing a lineup with plenty of fresh faces Tuesday, the Blue Jackets responded off the rush when Roslovic snapped his 11th to tie it.
Kerfoot pushed Toronto ahead 2-1 midway through the second with his ninth after Greaves made a terrific stop on Nick Abruzzese.
Nine minutes into the third, Aston-Reese tipped his career-high 10th of the campaign past Greaves for a 3-1 lead.
Robinson got Columbus, which sits last in the Eastern Conference by a wide margin, back within one with his 12th on a shot that beat Woll upstairs from a tight angle, but Matthews iced it into an empty net with his 38th.
UP NEXT
Blue Jackets: At New Jersey on Thursday night.
Maple Leafs: At Boston on Thursday night.
