The Boston Bruins had to overcome three one goal deficits Wednesday night, scoring four goals in the third period to rally past the Toronto Maple Leafs 7-4 to win the decisive game seven of an NHL first round series. Boston now advances to the second round that starts Saturday in St. Petersburg against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The action was fast and furious from the start with alot of great scoring chances. Toronto broke up top first at 2:05 of the opening period when Patrick Marleau scored on the powerplay. Boston responded 2:42 later when Jake Debrusk evened things on the powerplay to make it 1-1. Marleaus second of the night at 6:12 put the Leafs back in front 2-1. Danton Heinen again evened the score with his first of the playoffs at 9:10. Boston was able to gain their first lead of the night when Patrice Bergeron also scored his first of the series at 19:23, making it 3-2 Bruins.
Travis Dermott scored for Toronto at 2:07 of the second to tie the score 3-3, and then with Boston on the powerplay Kasperi Kapanen won a battle for the puck and made a great deke around Bruins goalie Tuuka Rask for a shorthanded goal to make it 4-3 Leafs at the 6:05 mark of the middle period. The score would remain in favor of Toronto at the end of two periods.
The Bruins then saved their best period for last. Torey Krug seeing eye slapper from the point at 1:10 beat Leafs goalie Frederick Andersen made it 4-4. Debrusk scored his second of the night, which turned out to be the series clincher at 5:25 to make it 5-4 Boston, giving them a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. David Pastrnak scored the Bruins sixth goal at 11:39, and then Brad Marchand iced it with an empty net goal at 19:09.
Bergeron added two assists to go along with his first goal of the series. David Krejci also had a three point night with three assists. Marchand and Pastrnak also added an assist each. Tuuka Rask made 20 saves, and Boston was 1-3 on the powerplay. William Nylander added two assists for Toronto. Andersen made 29 saves, but is now 0-3 all time in game seven starts. The Leafs went 1-2 on the powerplay.
Game one of the second round between Boston and Tampa Bay begins Saturday at 3 pm. The Lightning beat out the Bruins for first place in the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference by one point in the regular season.
