John Tavares breaks late tie, Maple Leafs beat Oilers 4-2

TORONTO (AP) — John Tavares broke a tie on a power play midway through the third period to help the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Edmonton Oilers 4-2 on Friday night for a series split

Toronto played without Auston Matthews and Joe Thornton. Coach Sheldon Keefe said before the game Matthews is day-to-day with “upper-body soreness” following a 3-1 loss to the Oilers on Wednesday night, while Thornton will miss at least four weeks after fracturing a rib in that game.

Adam Brooks scored his first NHL goal, Jimmy Vesey and Mitch Marner added goals and Frederik Andersen made 30 saves. Toronto improved to 4-2-0.

Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl scored for Edmonton, and Mikko Koskinen stopped 25 shots. The Oilers are 2-4-0.

Tavares tipped in his fourth goal of the season, and second in the two-game set with the Oilers, off Marner’s shot after some sustained pressure on the man advantage.

Marner capped the scoring with an empty-net goal.