Bruins take game four to push Leafs to brink

April 19, 2018

 

The Boston Bruins had three different goal scorers Thursday night and Tuuka Rask made 31 saves, en route to a 3-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in game four of an NHL first round series at Air Canada Centre in Toronto. The Bruins now take a 3-1 series lead in the best of seven.

Torey Krug started it for Boston, scoring 28 seconds into the contest to make it 1-0. Toronto responded on a marker by Tomas Plekanac at 7:43. Boston regained the lead they would never relinquish when Brad Marchand scored the eventual game winner at 16:55 of the second on a great feed from David Pastrnak. Pastrnak skated down the right wing on a two on one breakout, and at last moment faked a shot and slid it over to Marchand who tapped it into an empty net. Pastrnak had two assists in the game. Jake Debrusk added insurance with a goal 4:17 into the final period. The Bruins played the game without Patrice Bergeron.

Boston never had a powerplay in the game, and was outshot 32-21. Toronto was 0-1 with the extra man, and goalie Frederik Andersen made 18 saves in the loss. The Bruins defense also blocked 27 Leafs shots. Boston will try to finish off Toronto in the series when game five faces off at TD Garden on Saturday at 8 pm.