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Kessel, Leafs down Canucks

Feb 9, 2014 - 2:04 AM Toronto, ON (SportsNetwork.com) - Phil Kessel scored the game-winner in the third period as the Toronto Maple Leafs took a 3-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks heading into the Olympic break.

Mason Raymond and James van Riemsdyk also scored for the Maple Leafs, who won five of six going into the break. Jonathan Bernier stopped 32 shots in the win.

Toronto snapped a long skid against Vancouver, having dropped 11 straight and winning for the first time since a 2-1 victory in Toronto on Nov. 24, 2003.

Ryan Kesler had the only goal of the game for the Canucks, who will welcome the break as the team has dropped seven straight for the first time since losing eight in a row from Jan. 9-31, 2009.

Also, all of Vancouver's losses have come in regulation, as the team has dropped seven straight in regular time for the first time since going 0-7 from Dec. 26-Jan. 6 during the 1998-99 season.

Roberto Luongo stopped 21-of-24 shots in the loss.

Trailing by a goal, Raymond tied the game at 7:23 when he skated behind the net and came out the right side before firing a turnaround shot from the circle for his 16th of the year.

Just past the midway mark, Toronto was skating 6-on-5 thanks to a delayed call on Vancouver and Kessel took advantage, snapping in a wrister off the post from the high slot for his 31st goal.

Another delayed call to Vancouver saw Toronto take a 3-1 lead two minutes later as a bad shot saw the puck bounced off the back board and come to the left side where van Riemsdyk threw it out front where bounced off Alexander Edler and went in.

Vancouver's only goal of the game came with 22 seconds left in the first period as Kesler fired a shot on net from the left circle that deflected off two Leafs and went in.

Game Notes

Toronto plays in New York against the Islanders when it resumes play on Feb. 27 ... Toronto went 0-for-3 on the power play while Vancouver was 0-for-2 ... Tyler Bozak had two assists for Toronto.