Maple Leafs tie series with 3-2 win vs. Bruins
BOSTON — The Boston Bruins will go to Toronto tied 1-1 in their first-round series after they fell 3-2 to the Maple Leafs in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Monday night at TD Garden.
The first period had plenty of energy and featured the Bruins playing some smart hockey with their timely hits, dumping pucks and playing a fast-paced game.
Linus Ullmark, who made his first start of the playoffs, did his part and made several key saves, but a late breakaway goal by Auston Matthews coupled with a lack of urgency in the third period by Boston led to a Toronto win.
The Maple Leafs gifted the Bruins the game’s first power play after McCabe cross-checked Jakub Lauko well after the whistle. Just 25 seconds into the man advantage, Brad Marchand made a net-front pass to Morgan Geekie, who hammered it home for the 1-0 lead.
Toronto immediately responded, with Max Domi tying the game 1-1 just 14 seconds later.
The Maple Leafs had a chance to keep the momentum going in their favor when Johnny Beecher was whistled for hooking, but the Bruins killed off the penalty to keep the game tied.
But that changed in the final seconds of the first. A premature whistle while the puck was still live forced a faceoff to the right of Ilya Samsonov. Pavel Zacha won it, got the puck to David Pastrnak who one-timed it past Samsonov to give the Bruins a 2-1 lead with eight seconds left.
The second period featured much of the same intensity as the first. Toronto tried to get the momentum in its favor when the Bruins were called for too many men on the ice at the 12:01 mark. The Maple Leafs had their chances but Linus Ullmark stood on his head for the two-minute kill, particularly with an outstanding glove save on Calle Jarnkrok’s shot on the doorstep.
The officials reviewed that play to see if they could determine whether the puck crossed the line, but the call stood and the game remained 2-1. The Maple Leafs appeared to tie it on their second power play of the period when Tyler Bertuzzi batted the puck past Ullmark. But it was quickly determined it was a high stick and the call was overturned.
John Tavares made sure to get one that counted while still skating with the man advantage with a goal from the slot on a shot that Kevin Shattenkirk couldn’t block.
Ullmark continued to pull his weight in the third period, and made a huge glove save on Nick Robertson. But a breakaway from Matthews after he got behind Charlie McAvoy gave the Maple Leafs a 3-2 lead with 7:48 left in the game.
Another gift of a power play from the Leafs to the Bruins with 6:03 left, but were unable to take advantage of the opportunity. A last ditch effort in the final minute came up short, and the Maple Leafs earned a win in Game 2.
The best-of-seven series now shifts to Toronto for Games 3 and 4. Puck drop for Game 3 is set for Wednesday at 7 p.m. EST.
