Andersen helps Maple Leafs top Flyers 4-2

TORONTO -- Frederik Andersen stepped up for Toronto when Philadelphia put together a big push down the stretch.

This time, the Maple Leafs held on.

Andersen made 36 saves, including 19 in the third period, and the Leafs beat the Flyers 4-2 on Thursday night.

"We know what we had to do -- we came out and did it so it's a good feeling," Toronto defenseman Morgan Rielly said.

Tyler Bozak had a goal and an assist for Toronto (30-22-14), which has won two straight after dropping five in a row. William Nylander, Mitch Marner and Nazem Kadri also scored.

The Leafs have dropped an NHL-leading 10 games when leading after two periods (now 24-1-9), just hanging on to beat Detroit on Tuesday after racing out to a 3-0 lead. Toronto kept pushing with a 2-1 lead on Thursday, the trio of Kadri, Leo Komarov and Connor Brown generating a number of early third-period opportunities.

Andersen also had a big stop of Claude Giroux on a Philadelphia power play.

"I think we had a ton of scoring chances and were able to put pressure on their D and just wear them down physically," Kadri said. "We just tried to get as many hits as we could and play in the offensive zone as much as possible and I really think that did the job."

Philadelphia (31-27-8) had won three of four. Wayne Simmonds and Shayne Gostisbehere scored for the Flyers, and Michal Neuvirth made 29 saves.

"It's frustrating," Giroux said. "It wasn't our best game. But we did a lot of good things, just got to be better."

Prior to the game, Leafs coach Mike Babcock was asked what concerned him most about the rival Flyers. He replied: "I don't like to be on the penalty kill against them. I think their power play is good."

Sure enough, the Flyers opening the scoring with Simmonds' 14th power-play goal this season, tying him with teammate Brayden Schenn for the NHL lead. The rugged forward planted himself in front of Andersen and redirected a Gostisbehere point shot into the net at 6:09 of the first.

Simmonds trails only Alex Ovechkin in power-play goals since 2011, totaling 73 over that span. He has 28 goals overall this season.

Philadelphia controlled most of the first period, but Toronto responded when Nylander beat Neuvirth from the right faceoff circle with 6:03 left.

It was the 18th goal of the year for the 20-year-old Nylander, who equaled a franchise rookie record with his ninth power-play goal of the season. He leads Toronto and all NHL rookies with 21 power-play points.

Toronto came on stronger in the middle frame, generating scoring chances and offensive zone pressure at even-strength that was lacking in the first. The Maple Leafs grabbed the lead when Bozak wheeled through the slot and beating Neuvirth at 9:28.

Bozak, who has 16 goals and 45 points this season, was a game-time decision -- perhaps bothered by a finger injury that forced him out of one game late last month.

Marner gave the Leafs a 3-1 lead with a power-play goal at 13:44. After Gostisbehere got the Flyers within one, Kadri got an empty-netter with a minute left.

"They're a good team without the puck so they're going to check and they're going to make some plays, but you have to limit those," Philadelphia coach Dave Hakstol said. "There were portions of the game where we did an excellent job of that and other areas where we weren't effective."

Game notes

Andersen improved to 26-14-13.

UP NEXT

Flyers: Visit Boston on Saturday afternoon.

Maple Leafs: Visit Carolina on Saturday night.