Overtime losses sting a bit more when up 3-0 in a game.
The Boston Bruins failed to secure their lead over the Toronto Maple Leafs, allowing their opponent to push back for Toronto to hand them a 5-4 loss in overtime at the TD Garden on Tuesday night.
The Bruins had two power-play goals and David Pastrnak had a two-goal night and an assist in the loss. Mitch Marner had two goals for Toronto including the game-winner in overtime while Morgan Rielly had a four-point night.
Interim head coach Joe Sacco said he felt the team was ready to play from the start tonight, despite the loss.
The Bruins were up 3-0 half way through the second period, notching two power-play goals in that time from Brad Marchand and Morgan Geekie. David Pastrnak opened the scoring and added an assist to boost the Bruins to that lead.
Things were looking good. The Bruins were outshooting the Maple Leafs and getting power-play opportunities.
“The first 40 minutes, I really liked what we were doing,” Sacco said. “You give them some life and then they start to push.”
While the Maple Leafs made it 3-1 after 40 minutes, it wasn’t until Toronto’s next goal that momentum shifted against the Bruins. It’s the goal Sacco said hurt the Bruins the most during the game because it changed the energy on the ice to the Maple Leafs’ favor.
The Bruins started the third period on the penalty kill after Oliver Wahlstrom took a late-period penalty for high-sticking.
Just 59 seconds into the third, Mitch Marner cut the Maple Leaf’s deficit to one-goal on the power play. Then Nicholas Robertson added another with plenty of time left in regulation.
Pastrnak netted his second goal of the night to regain the Bruins’ lead, but the Leafs battled back again and Pontus Holmberg evened things for Toronto in the last minute of the third period.
After a chance by Mason Lohrei in overtime, a breakdown sprung Marner loose, thanks to Auston Matthews, for Marner to beat Swayman and earn a 5-4 overtime win for the Maple Leafs.
“I thought we played well,” Marchand said. “We definitely played well enough to win that game. It’s unfortunate we didn’t get both points, but we have have to keep up.”
The Bruins are back on Thursday at the TD Garden to face the New York Islanders at 7 p.m.
Here are the highlights:
First period:
Mason Lohrei sent a long pass to David Pastrnak who lifted a wrist shot from the slot past Anthony Stolarz just 29 seconds into the first period. 1-0 Bruins.
Pastrnak sent the puck out front which bounced off Stolarz and a Leafs’ defenseman before Brad Marchand had the last tap at 13:59 of the first period on the power play. 2-0 Bruins.
Second period:
From behind the net, Elias Lindholm found Morgan Geekie in the left-wing circle for a one-timer blast past Stolarz’s blocker on the power play at 10:00 of the second period. 3-0 Bruins.
The Maple Leafs got one back as Morgan Rielly skate down into the right-wing circle to fire a wrist shot past Jeremy Swayman’s glove at 13:52 of the second period. 3-1 game.
Third period:
Mitch Marner went top shelf over Swayman’s glove shoulder 59 seconds into the third period on the power play. 3-2 game.
Nicholas Robertson put a wrist shot past Swayman from inside the left face-off circle at 6:40 of the third period. 3-3 game.
Pastrnak walked into the slot and threw a close wrist shot past Stolarz’ glove to give the Bruins the lead at 10:33 of the third period. 4-3 Bruins.
Robertson sent a pass to the slot which Pontus Holmberg picked up for a quick snap shot past Swayman’s glove at 19:14 of the third period. 4-4 game.
Overtime:
Marner receives Auston Matthews pass to skate down the center, make a quick move at the top of the paint to then beat Swayman low past his left skate at 4:08 of overtime. Final score: 5-4 Maple Leaf.
Post-game soundbites
- Marchand on what the Bruins need to do differently to stop a team like Toronto from pushing back so late in the game: “They’re talented, but…it seems like right now, anytime we make a mistake, it’s going to end up in the back of the net. We just have to limit them. We can’t give teams anything easy. You got to continue to play behind them.”
- Pastrnak said the team has tried to take some positive on the restart since break. He sees earning two points as a positive, but not that there hasn’t been a “W” yet from those points. “I think just if you get on the winning track, you know, get the winning mojo and winning confidence into this room, we are not far behind. We’re right there and it’s going to be better.”
- Postgame, Pastrnak complimented Lohrei’s pass to him on his goal, calling it “world-class.” In response, Lohrei talked about the play and what he saw on it. “Pav (Zacha) made a great pass on the breakout, slipped it to me in the middle, so I just got my head up and I saw David taken off, so. I launched it.”