Final
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Kessel's hat trick leads Leafs over Ducks

Oct 23, 2013 - 4:16 AM Toronto, ON (SportsNetwork.com) - Phil Kessel notched his fourth career hat trick as the Toronto Maple Leafs took a 4-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday.

Dion Phaneuf had the other goal and James van Riemsdyk posted two assists for the Maple Leafs, who snapped a two-game slide. Jonathan Bernier stopped 23 shots in the win.

Mathieu Perreault and Nick Bonino scored for the Ducks, who had won seven straight since opening the season with a loss to Colorado. Jonas Hiller gave up all four goals on 23 shots.

"We got some great goaltending again, but we weren't able to be there for Jonas," Ducks defenseman Ben Lovejoy said.

Trailing 2-0, Toronto got one back on the power play at 7:44 of the second period. Cody Franson blasted a shot on net from the right circle that was stopped, but van Riemsdyk whipped the rebound over to the left side and Kessel slammed it home.

Just over a minute later, the Leafs tied the game as Josh Leivo sent a shot on net from a sharp angle at the left side that was stopped, but the rebound came out to the left circle and Phaneuf wristed it home.

Toronto then took a 3-2 lead with 3:51 to play as Kessel skated down the right wing on a 2-on-1 and looked the goaltender off before snapping the puck high to the blocker side.

Kessel completed the hat trick at 8:11 of the third. Van Riemsdyk skated with him on a 2-on-1 and passed the puck from the right side to the left where Kessel one-timed it home.

With 6:59 to play, van Riemsdyk was awarded a penalty shot after he was hooked on a breakaway by Jakob Silfverberg, but his backhand went off the right post.

It didn't matter, though, as Anaheim was unable to get any closer the rest of the way.

"Our goaltender made some big stops and our defense played huge," Maple leafs head coach Randy Carlyle said.

The Ducks took a 1-0 lead with 2:22 to play in the first after Patrick Maroon made a nifty move skating down the right wing to get around a defender and slid the puck across the net where Bonino tapped it in.

It was 2-0 at 1:59 of the second as Perreault won a battle in the left corner and skated around the right side before wristing a shot home for his fourth of the season.

Game Notes

It was Kessel's second career hat trick as a Maple Leaf ... Toronto was 1- for-3 on the power play while Anaheim failed to score on any of its four chances ... Toronto plays in Columbus on Friday ... The Ducks continue their eight-game road trip in Montreal on Thursday ... Toronto has won four straight games against Anaheim.