By: Andrew Bluestein | Follow Me On Twitter / X @adbblue
The Boston Bruins defeated their division rival, the Toronto Maple Leafs, 4-3 in overtime at TD Garden Saturday night. It was a back-and-forth game, with the second period containing the most action.
Jeremy Swayman only faced 23 shots and made 20 saves, but many were high quality. Boston controlled most of the game, but their goalie was there to bail them out when they broke down.
First Period
Both teams started off trading high-danger scoring chances but couldn’t cash in. Boston got the game’s first power play on a Ryan Reaves interference penalty. They had great puck movement but couldn’t get the puck to the net. The Bruins used the man advantage to create some momentum and were all over Toronto, ensuring the power play and accumulating offensive zone time.
The Leafs didn’t register their first shot on goal until past the 10:00 Mark of the opening frame. Toronto had an opportunity to tilt the ice in their favor after Morgan Geekie and Johnny Beecher both took penalties, resulting in a five-on-three for 0:32.
However, Jeremy Swayman stood tall, and the Bruins killed off both infractions. One thing Boston did really well was clog up the middle of the ice, which gave Toronto fits trying to enter the attacking zone. No goals were scored during the period, and the Bruins controlled the play.
Second Period
Only 0:35 into the second period, Leafs forward Matthew Knies found a loose puck in a pile of skates in front and beat Swayman to make it 1-0. Boston responded quickly after Jake McCabe took an interference penalty. Brad Marchand set up David Pastrnak at the left face-off circle on a great feed, which was an easy finish for the Bruins sniper to tie things 1-1.
Toronto retook the lead during a four-on-four situation when Morgan Reilly blasted a one-timer past Swayman, making it 2-1. After a lackluster Boston power play, they eventually tied the game when Justin Brazeau put a rebound into the roof of the goal to tie it 2-2. Then, seconds later, the fourth line continued their hot streak with Mark Kastelic giving his team a 3-2 lead with his linemates Cole Koepke and Beecher each grabbing an assist. Kastelic was asked about Beecher’s assisting pass following the game and said, “Great play by him, good shift in general, and it’s fun playing with those two.”
Third Period and Overtime
Not much action took place in the first half of the third period, as it was mostly stalemate hockey with no high-danger scoring chances. The Bruins had a power play opportunity after a Nick Robertson tripping penalty, but they couldn’t generate any good looks, and it went by the boards. Toronto tied the game 3-3 late with 1:17 to go on an Auston Matthews net drive, and the game went to overtime.
Brad Marchand grabbed his first goal of the season, burying a second chance on the doorstep for a 4-3 Bruins win, snapping their three-game losing streak. Marchand stayed humble when asked about finally scoring after the game, saying, “I’ve been through many different stretches, good and bad, wasn’t getting too caught up in it, but it is nice to get that one.”
Head coach Jim Montgomery praised the Bruins captain after the game. “He’s someone that embodies what it is to be a Bruin, the right way. How he carries himself on the ice, off the ice, everything.”
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