Auston Matthews scored the winner in the third period and added two assists as the Toronto Maple Leafs topped the Boston Bruins 3-2 on Monday to even their first-round playoff series 1-1.
The star center took a lob pass from Max Domi and moved in alone on Linus Ullmark before making a move to the forehand with 7:54 left in regulation time to give the Leafs their first lead against the Bruins in the last six games — including four in the regular season.
The goal was the first for Matthews in the playoffs in his last seven contests. Domi and John Tavares had the other goals for Toronto. Ilya Samsonov made 27 saves.
The Leafs were minus star winger William Nylander for a second straight game with an undisclosed injury after suiting up for all 82 regular-season contests.
David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie replied for Boston. Ullmark stopped 30 shots for the Bruins, who downed the Leafs 5-1 in Saturday’s opener with Jeremy Swayman in net.
Game 3 of the best-of-seven series goes Wednesday in Toronto. The teams then get two days off before Saturday’s Game 4.
The Leafs got the better of the Bruins for the first time in nine games — a stretch of more than 530 days — stretching back to November 2022.
