Maple Leafs vs. Blue Jackets score: Auston Matthews' OT goal caps furious comeback, keeps Toronto's season alive

Jackie Spiegel

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Maple Leafs vs. Blue Jackets score: Auston Matthews' OT goal caps furious comeback, keeps Toronto's season alive image

You get to come back from three goals and win! And you get to come back from three goals!

After squandering a 3-0 lead and losing in overtime to the Blue Jackets in Game 3, the Maple Leafs had their turn Friday night in Game 4.

Trailing 3-0 with 3:57 left in regulation, Toronto mounted a furious comeback capped by Zach Hyman's tying goal with just 23 seconds remaining. Then in overtime, Auston Matthews sent the series to a Game 5 on Sunday with a power-play goal.

"We've got new life here now . . . we were getting CPR there for a little bit," Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe with a little bit of a laugh, adding, "and then we found our way back." 

The first-year bench boss put his lines in a blender at times, but in the end, he got what he needed from his star core of Matthews, captain John Tavares, Mitch Marner and William Nylander; those four combined for 10 points and played roles on every goal.

"Resilence," Keefe said about the core. "Just that they weren't going to quit . . .  once we got one and got a little bit of life, they kept pushing."

Regardless of the score, Elvis Merzlikins was masterful in net for Columbus in his first NHL postseason start. He faced 53 shots over the 73-plus minutes of action. At the other end, Toronto netminder Frederik Andersen stopped 36 of 39. 

Toronto was the first team Friday to avoid elimination. The Islanders, Coyotes, Canadiens and Blackhawks sent the Panthers, Predators, Penguins and Oilers, respectively, out of the NHL bubble.

Sporting News had all the action as the Maple Leafs kept their season alive.

Maple Leafs vs. Blue Jackets scores, highlights

(All times Eastern)

Final score: Maple Leafs 4, Blue Jackets 3 (OT)

Overtime: Maple Leafs 4, Blue Jackets 3

11:08 p.m. — GOAL. On the ensuing power play, Auston Matthews buries a cross-ice pass that slides right across the hash marks. Maple Leafs win 4-3.

11:07 p.m. — Rielly draws a penalty and slams into boards. Announcers thought he was hurt but he stays in the game. After Columbus touches, the offender, Foligno, flips the puck at him.

10:58 p.m.  — Travis Dermott with a big-time, gutsy block right in the slot to save a sure goal.

10:50 p.m. — Hyman, looking for his second, is stopped, and then the Blue Jackets get a couple of good looks at the other end.

10:48 p.m. — Auston Matthews with a solid chance right above the crease; he comes close to ending things less than 30 seconds in.

10:48 p.m — Werenski not on the bench for Columbus.

10:43 p.m. —  And a quick reminder, these two teams played overtime Thursday night, too. 

10:41 p.m. — Quick note, Zach Werenski's last shift ended at 9:08 of the third period. His status is unknown.

Third period: Maple Leafs 3, Blue Jackets 3

10:31 p.m. — And just like that, we head to overtime.

10:30 p.m. — GOAL. With 23 seconds left on the clock, Zach Hyman from the left circle slides the puck past Elvis. Leafs score three goals in three minutes and 32 seconds to, for now, stay alive.  Game tied at 3.

10:29 p.m. — Tavares has a chance but his stick is lifted from behind at the last second.

10:29 p.m. — Marner comes close.

10:28 p.m. — Wow. Dubois with a good look at the empty net and it hits the outside and gets stuck between the netting and the plastic.

10:25 p.m. — GOAL. Wow. With a little over three minutes left, Tavares finally converts in the slot. Moments earlier, Columbus misses an empty net chance inside the Leafs zone.  Blue Jackets lead 3-2.

10:24 p.m. — GOAL. Leafs finally get on the board as Nylander buries the rebound in the crease. Blue Jackets lead 3-1.

10:19 p.m. — GOAL. Morgan Rielly is pressured by Foligno in his own end and goes down. The Blue Jackets captain takes the puck and feeds a wide-open Boone Jenner, who beats Andersen. Rielly takes it out on his stick on the bench.  Blue Jackets lead 3-0.

10:15 p.m. — Time remaining = 8:44.

10:10 p.m. — Marner takes a penalty. Not a good move when your team trails 2-0 and is on the verge of being eliminated. They would ultimately kill the penalty.

10:08 p.m. — Morgan Rielly with a good shot below the hash marks but Elvis is there.

10:06 p.m. — Eight minutes in and the Leafs have three shots and one off the crossbar.

9:58 p.m. — Liam Foudy, who won gold with Canada at World Juniors in January, rings one off the post.

9:56 p.m. — Third period begins.

Second period: Blue Jackets 2, Maple Leafs 0

9:36 p.m. — Nyquist is pulled down by Morgan Rielly with 22 seconds left in the period after a spin-o-rama. Columbus will start the final frame on the power play for 1:38.

9:34 p.m. — Tavares again, on a new power-play session. Looks to the skies afterward. Tavares leading the Leafs with five shots on net.

9:30 p.m. — Tavares again stopped in front. The Leafs captain is definitely engaged tonight.

9:29 p.m. — After a few ticks of 4-on-4, the Leafs head to the power play. 

9:28 p.m. — Zach Hyman bodies out Foligno for the puck along the wall in the neutral zone and then draws a penalty. Can clearly hear "NO!" from Foligno; fair to say he didn't like the call.

9:26 p.m. — More pleasantries. Kerfoot and Atkinson get roughing penalties.

9:23 p.m. — The veteran Spezza drops the gloves with Kukan, but he takes a minor beforehand. The fight may spark the Leafs but the penalty kill may not.

9:21 p.m. — Oh. Gavrikov with the celly.

9:13 p.m. — William Nylander streaking down the right wing and once again it's Elvis. The Blue Jackets netminder is locked in.

9:12 p.m. — Tavares with a big-time rebound chance but Elvis with the stop

9:10 p.m. — With no fans in attendance, you can really hear teams celebrate goals and it's kinda cool.

9:06 p.m. — GOAL. Vladislav Gavrikov's shot from the point goes off Marner's stick and past Andersen. Blue Jackets lead 2-0.

9:04 p.m. — Leafs' best line tonight has been its fourth line (Jason Spezza, Pierre Engvall, Kyle Clifford) and they just crashed the net and came oh, so close to tying things up.

9:01 p.m. — Middle frame is a go. Toronto scored 86 goals in the second period during the regular season, the most in any period.

First period: Blue Jackets 1, Maple Leafs 0

8:43 p.m. — Period comes to a close. Blue Jackets lead 1-0; sadly no cannons were fired. Leafs with the lead in shot advantage (15-13) and high-danger chances for (3-2) .

8:41 p.m. — Columbus kills the penalty. Leafs now 1-for-9 with the man advantage in the series.

8:38 p.m. — On a delayed call, Auston Matthews with a good shot from the right circle. Leafs head to the power play.

8:37 p.m. — Tyson Barrie with a point shot that Elvis can't corral but neither can the Leafs in front.

8:36 p.m. — Andersen makes a few stops at the side of the net to keep it a one-goal game.

8:26 p.m. — Leafs getting some pressure. Pierre Engvall tries to send the point shot in but it trickles towards the post and Elvis jumps on the puck.

8:19 p.m. — Nick Robertson with a chance off a pass from John Tavares. The 18-year-old, who scored his first NHL goal in Game 3 , is skating on a line with Tavares and Nylander. Big sliding pad save by Elvis.

8:15 p.m. — GOAL. Pierre-Luc Dubois blows past Justin Holl setting up a 2-on-1 and Cam Atkinson finishes. Blue Jackets lead 1-0. 

8:11 p.m. — Not sure how to explain what just happened but I'll give-it-a-go: Elvis and Seth Jones miscommunicate at the side of the net. Mitch Marner gets the puck but has to avoid Elvis' loose stick in his feet. He comes around but Elvis still somehow makes the stop.

8:10 p.m. — Game on. Will Columbus close things out? Or, will the Leafs live to fight another day?

Pregame

7:39 p.m. — All eyes are on warm-ups.

3:45 p.m. — Some tweaks to the Blue Jackets lineup.

12:56 p.m. — The Leafs coach has turned the page. Has his team?

Jackie Spiegel