Kapanen scores in OT, Campbell makes 35 saves as Leafs down Coyotes 3-2

“It’s been incredible,” Campbell said of the first week with his new club. “I can’t speak enough about the character of the room. The guys are so welcoming.

“I was pretty nervous going into such a solid team.”

Zach Hyman had both goals in regulation for Toronto (30-19-8), while Alexander Kerfoot added two assists.

Carl Soderberg and Christian Dvorak replied for Arizona (28-23-8), which was playing the second of a back-to-back and its third game in four nights. Adin Hill made 38 saves.

“It sucks we think we won there for a minute, but that’s the way it goes,” Hill said. “It was a hard-fought game.”

Kapanen, who was made a healthy scratch earlier this month after being late to practice, pulled the puck to his forehand and beat Hill upstairs during the 3-on-3 extra period to score his 11th of the season and snap a 13-game goal drought.

“I think everyone here knows that’s my go-to move,” Kapanen said. “That’s been working for me and I decided to try it and (hope) it’d go in. It did.”

It looked like the Coyotes had won the game earlier in OT when Jakob Chychrun fired between Campbell’s pads just as a Hyman penalty expired, but the goal was overturned after video review showed Derek Stepan interfered with the Toronto goalie.

“I usually don’t get too emotional in the game,” said Campbell, who didn’t leave his crease after the puck went in. “The guy bumped me pretty good.”

With the victory, Toronto remained in third place in the Atlantic Division, two points up on Florida. The Panthers, who have a game in hand, beat the New Jersey Devils 5-3 on Tuesday.

“We need these points,” Kapanen said. “Lucky enough, they called (the Arizona OT goal) back and we were able to win.”

Arizona pushed ahead 2-1 late in the middle period, but Hyman scored his second goal of the night and 16th overall 1:33 into the third when he took a no-look, one-knee feed from John Tavares in the slot.

“I’m doing the same thing I’ve been in years past,” said Hyman, who’s just five goals off the career-high he set last season despite missing the first 19 games of 2019-20 with a knee injury. “I’m just being more patient and more confident with the puck.”

Campbell, who didn’t get word he’d be starting in place of Andersen until sometime after Tuesday’s morning skate, made a nice stop on Taylor Hall midway through the third on a Coyotes’ power play before Hill robbed Kerfoot on a short-handed breakaway.

Campbell was called upon again on a 2-on-1 with seven minutes to go — stopping Soderberg’s initial shot and the follow-up with his glove even though he couldn’t find the puck as it bounced in the air.

Toronto got a late power play when former Leafs winger Phil Kessel went off for tripping, but Hill was there to deny Auston Matthews on a one-timer.

With not much happening at either end through most of an uninspired opening 40 minutes at a sleepy Scotiabank Arena, Soderberg slotted home his 14th with 46.8 seconds left in the middle period off a sloppy scramble from a Toronto perspective in front of Campbell.

Following Monday’s 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens where Antti Raanta made 26 saves, Arizona turned to Hill — the club’s third-stringer — with Darcy Kuemper still out injured as the Coyotes continue their pursuit of a playoff spot out West.

He made a nice stop on another Matthews one-timer on the power play in the second before the centre blasted another shot off the post.

Tavares and Leafs defenceman Justin Holl both played after sitting out Monday’s practice with an illness, while winger William Nylander, who sat out the last two games sick, was back in for the home side. Hyman was also in the lineup despite skipping Monday’s session with what the team called “bumps and bruises.”

Toronto started with a line of Nylander, Matthews and Mitch Marner — an expensive trio that accounts for nearly US$29.5 million in annual average value on the salary cap — but they couldn’t generate much of anything.

Tuesday marked the start of a stretch of four games in six nights that will also see Toronto host Dallas on Thursday before visiting Ottawa on Saturday and Buffalo on Sunday. Arizona visits Ottawa on Thursday.

The Coyotes jumped in front 64 seconds into the opening period on the game’s first shot when the puck popped into the slot to Dvorak, who buried his 17th with Campbell out of position and at his mercy.

The Leafs woke the crowd out of its slumber at 14:23 when Tyson Barrie’s one-timer hit Hyman in front and went in for his 15th.

“The boys have played great,” Campbell said. “It felt like a playoff game out there. Both teams didn’t give each other much, but Kappy made a great play to seal the deal.”

Kapanen scores in OT, Campbell makes 35 saves as Leafs down Coyotes 3-2

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