Marner scores 2, Maple Leafs beat Jets 3-1

Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Mitchell Marner (16) scores on an empty net and takes a hit from Winnipeg Jets defenseman Neal Pionk (4) during third-period NHL hockey game action in Toronto, Ontario, Monday, Jan. 18, 2021. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP

Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares (91) tries to drive past Winnipeg Jets defenseman Sami Niku (8) during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto on Monday, Jan. 18, 2021.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) makes a save against Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Zach Hyman (11) during third period NHL hockey action in Toronto on Monday, Jan. 18, 2021.

Toronto Maple Leafs right wing William Nylander (88) tries to screen Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) during third-period NHL hockey game action in Toronto, Ontario, Monday, Jan. 18, 2021. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP

Winnipeg Jets left wing Kyle Connor (81) celebrate his goal as Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Ilya Mikheyev (65) skates by during second period NHL hockey action in Toronto on Monday, Jan. 18, 2021.

Winnipeg Jets left wing Nikolaj Ehlers (27) gets hit and looses his stick by Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Muzzin (8) as Maple Leafs left wing Zach Hyman (11) looks for the puck during second period NHL hockey action in Toronto on Monday, Jan. 18, 2021.

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Zach Bogosian (22) clears the puck while playing against the Winnipeg Jets during second period NHL hockey action in Toronto on Monday, Jan. 18, 2021.

TORONTO (AP) — Mitch Marner scored twice and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Winnipeg Jets 3-1 Monday night.

John Tavares also scored and Frederik Andersen made 27 saves for Toronto in first of 10 meetings between the North Division rivals.

Kyle Connor scored for Winnipeg, and Connor Hellebuyck stopped 35 shots inside an empty Scotiabank Arena because of COVID-19 protocols.

The Jets were without star Patrik Laine, who sat out with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

Following an even first period that saw both teams force good saves from Hellebuyck and Andersen, the game tilted heavily in Toronto’s favor in the second.

The Maple Leafs got the game’s first goal at 5:28 at the tail end of a power play. Hellebuyck kicked Jake Muzzin’s point shot out to William Nylander, who quickly fed Tavares in the slot for him to bury his third of the season with the Jets’ goalie out of position.

Toronto, which dressed 11 forwards and seven defensemen, was outshooting Winnipeg 13-0 after that goal, and 19-1 midway through the period. The Jets looked to get some momentum on a man-advantage of their own later in the period, but Hellebuyck was forced to stop two short-handed chances off the stick of Ilya Mikheyev.

The MapleLeafs made it 2-0 with 1:21 left when Auston Matthews carried the puck into the offensive zone before finding Justin Holl. His one-timer hit the post behind Hellebucyk, and Marner was there to poke home his second of the year.