Brad Marchand scored the go-ahead goal with 8:07 remaining in the third period, lifting the visiting Boston Bruins to a 4-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round series. The Bruins lead the best-of-seven series 2-1.
Marchand sealed the win by scoring into the empty net with 36 seconds left in the period. The Boston captain has 55 career goals in the playoffs, tying Hall of Famer and current team president Cam Neely for the most in franchise history. Marchand notched an assist on Jake DeBrusk’s third power-play goal of the series.
Trent Frederic also scored and Jeremy Swayman made 28 saves for the Bruins, who rebounded from a 3-2 setback in Game 2. Game 4 is Saturday in Toronto.
Toronto’s Matthew Knies and Tyler Bertuzzi each scored a goal and Mitch Marner had an assist to notch his first point of the series. Ilya Samsonov turned aside 30 shots for the Maple Leafs.
Toronto tied the score 2-2 at 11:25 of the third period after defenseman Morgan Rielly’s shot deflected off two Bruins and into the net. Boston responded 28 seconds later as Marchand’s wrist shot from the right circle sailed over the left shoulder of Samsonov.
DeBrusk, who scored twice with the man advantage in 80 games during the regular season, gave Boston a 2-1 lead at 1:07 of the third period. He deftly used his skate to kick the puck to his stick and clean up the rebound after a shot from Marchand.
Marner found Knies on the left doorstep for a tap-in goal as Toronto opened the scoring with 6:50 remaining in the second period. Boston leveled the contest at 1-1 with 2:23 remaining in the first period after Frederic fired a shot from the left circle that sailed under Samsonov’s blocker and inside the near post for his second goal of the series.
