Marner scores twice to lead Maple Leafs to 5-3 win at New York Rangers

Mitch Marner had two goals and an assist in the third period and the Toronto Maple Leafs held on to defeat the visiting New York Rangers 5-3 Saturday night.

Patrick Marleau, Morgan Rielly and Andreas Johnsson also scored for the Maple Leafs, who scored four times in the third period en route to their third win in a row. John Tavares and Johnsson each added two assists.

Kevin Hayes and Neal Pionk each had a goal and an assist for the Rangers, and Chris Kreider added a goal.

Maple Leafs goaltender Frederik Andersen made 25 saves. Alexandar Georgiev stopped 31 shots for New York.

Marleau notched his 10th goal this season with a deflection from the left circle of Rielly's point shot at 2:58 of the first period. The Maple Leafs held a 15-10 advantage in shots on goal after one period.

The Maple Leafs killed off Marleau's holding penalty assessed at 1:10 of the second period, then went on the power play at 6:10 when Rangers defenseman Adam McQuaid received two minor penalties -- holding and cross-checking. The Rangers survived the four-minute short-handed situation.

The Rangers tied the score at 15:00 of the second when Pionk wired a shot from the right point for his fifth goal this season after a cross-ice pass from Jimmy Vesey.

The Maple Leafs led in shots on goal 25-20 after two periods.

Toronto took a 2-1 lead at 1:37 of the third period on Johnsson's eighth goal this season. Rielly shot in his 12th goal his season from the left circle at 5:26 of the third to put Toronto ahead 3-1. Hayes retaliated at 6:34 for his 10th this season to trim the lead to 3-2.

Marner scored at 12:53, breaking in alone with a nifty move to restore the two-goal margin.

The Rangers crept within one again on Kreider's 16th goal of the season at 16:19. Marner added his 12th goal of the season into an empty net at 19:40.

Toronto's Tyler Ennis left the game with an ankle injury and did not return.