Gardiner’s goal lifts Maple Leafs over Stars 3-2

The best team in the Western Conference will square off with the worst team in the East when the red-hot Dallas Stars host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night.

The Toronto Maple Leafs scored two late goals in the third period to beat the Dallas Stars 3-2 in Dallas Tuesday.

Gardiner scored the game-winning goal with 3:28 remaining in regulation with a slap shot from the right point that deflected in off the stick of Stars center Colton Sceviour.

NOTES: The Maple Leafs have won four in a row against Dallas, by a combined margin of 16-6….

Toronto Maple Leafs goalie James Reimer (34) uses his stick to stop a shot as Nick Spaling, rear, helps defend against pressure by Stars center Tyler Seguin (91) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, November 10, 2015, in Dallas. Special teams were good and we stuck with it and found a way to get a win, so good for us. “It’s a good feeling for our guys”.

“We missed too many opportunities”, Stars coach Lindy Ruff said. “When we get those chances, we got to capitalize”. “Tonight was just a night where I was just lucky enough to get in the way, and when I couldn’t be there, my teammates were there for me”.

After managing only three assists in his first eight games with Dallas, forward Patrick Sharp has rediscovered his scoring touch with six goals and three assists in the last seven contests. Vernon Fiddler did more than add to the SOG when he slipped in an incredible backhanded goal at an impossible angle to put the Stars ahead 2-1 at 5:39 in, assisted by Jason Demers.

Both teams made multiple goal attempts, but in the end the Leafs took advantage of misplacement in front of the net.

P.A. Parenteau tied it with just under 7 1/2 minutes left in the third, and Peter Holland scored late in the first period for Toronto.

Sharp made it 1-1 with his seventh goal of the season 33 seconds from the second intermission. At 12:38, Pierre-Alexander Parenteau answered with a wrist shot which deflected off the skate of Jordie Benn.

“I didn’t think he was good in the first but I thought he got going after that”, Babcock said of Gardiner. “So it’s a good thing that it went in”. He is likely to play on the first powerplay unit as well. However, the tide turned when Johnny Oduya went off for holding and the Leafs cashed in on their power play opportunity for the fourth time in their season series against the Stars.