Leafs at Bruins

Some are looking at this matchup as the first game of the rest of the season after the news that Hampus Lindholm isn’t coming back this season and that there is no timetable for a Charlie McAvoy return.

The Toronto Maple Leafs, whether or not they win the Atlantic Division, are the contender in this game. The question is are they finally a team that doesn’t need the result like Boston does.

Starters: Anthony Stolarz vs. Jeremy Swayman.

FIRST PERIOD

Sprung with perfect sauce by Mason Lohrei, David Pastrnak goes in alone and scores only 29 seconds after the opening faceoff, and the Bruins lead 1-0.

Oliver Wahlstrom, back in the lineup after being scratched for the Bruins’ re-entry game on Saturday, put an early hit on Max Domi but later got caught holding – WRONG – Bruins got a too-many-men-on-the-ice penalty and Wahlstrom served the two minutes. The Bruins get the kill on fine work by Brad Marchand and others.

Matthew Knies spins down Marchand and takes possession inside the Boston blue line, but it’s a holding penalty at 12:45, and the Bruins go to the powerplay for the second time.

Scramble at the crease, as Stolarz cannot find the handle on the puck laying to his right, finally he gets it tied up.

Pastrnak breaks his stick on a one-timer, and Toronto has a 2 on 1 … Auston Matthews hits the right post.

Marchand gets a bounce and makes it 2-0 on the powerplay at 13:59 of the first period.

The Leafs look a little flat, and the Bruins are playing like this whole thing can be fixed.

Johnny Beecher loses the puck, and Domi charges down left wing, forcing the Bruins forward to take a holding penalty at 15:13. Toronto to the powerplay for the first time tonight…

Late in Beecher’s PIM, there’s a post-whistle scrap involving Bobby McMann and Trent Frederic, but it doesn’t become a full-blown fight.

Bruins get the kill.

Morgan Geekie with a huge chance in the final seconds of the period, but Stolarz held the fort at the right post as time expired.

Bruins 2-0 after one. Shots 15-7 Boston.

The second period of this one will be interesting, and, as they say, the next goal’s a big one.

SECOND PERIOD

Another Toronto penalty, this one on Domi 2:10 into the second period. During the delayed penalty, Oliver-Ekman Larsson got into a shoving match with Matt Poitras, then Elias Lindholm came in on Poitras’ defense and jawed with Ekman-Larsson. Nothing came of the pleasantries.

Not a good powerplay, but Poitras strips Morgan Rielly as the Toronto defenseman rushed into the right circle, stick inside looking to snap off a wrister at Swayman.

ANOTHER Toronto penalty, this one on Pontus Holmberg for tripping. Bruins get another powerplay and the chance to break this one open.

Bruins give the even-upper only 22 seconds into the powerplay, as Lohrei reached in against a breakout play that had him out of position. 4v4 in front of the goalies, and Toronto now looking to make this a one-goal game. Matthews, save Swayman.

At the other end, great set-up for Charlie Coyle, but Stolarz drags the pad against a well-placed shot for the far post.

The Bruins had been handed beaucoup opportunities to gain distance on the scoreboard, but the last two powerplays were squandered. One just wasn’t very good, the last one interrupted by Lohrei’s ill-advised pinch forcing him to reach under a Maple Leafs puck carrier and getting the predictable if marginal call.

Penalties run out, but the Bruins are fortunate with Toronto about to get a man back for a brief powerplay because Pastrnak got fancy on the breakout and turned over the puck. A rocket of a goalmouth pass missed William Nylander’s stick at the right post.

Mark Kastelic delayed on a wholesale change, sending a message that he’s up for a fight tonight (he has been goaded).

Fine work on the forecheck by Cole Koepke leads to the next penalty, as Jake McCabe heads to the box ay 9:53. Bruins on the PP…

Morgan Geekie finally makes Toronto pay for the game-long lack of discipline with a putback from the left circle, 3-0 Boston just six seconds into the PIM.

The Bruins almost connect again.

Correction, that’s Rielly who finds daylight from the left circle, and it’s 3-1 with 6:08 left in the second period. Toronto stinks tonight, and the Bruins are trying to keep them out of it, but it’s back to two goals with a lot of hockey remaining.

Domi gets a penalty shortly thereafter for throwing down Poitras, so Boston back on the powerplay with 5:39 left in the second. Knies admonished Poitras for diving on the play. Poitras gave Knies a couple of get-out-of-my-face shoves, and Koepke followed up with one of his own.

Steven Lorentz, a bit player on Florida’s championship run last year, pounced on a Lohrei whiff, but Swayman stopped his breakaway bid. Toronto then got another scoring chance, the two best of the Boston powerplay. Toronto gets the kill … or did Boston?

Knies keeps the parade moving at 17:22, and the Bruins get yet another opportunity to restore their three-goal lead.

With 18 seconds left on a lively powerplay, Wahlstrom to the box for high sticking. 18 seconds of 4v4, then Toronto gets a powerplay that, without a result, will be split evenly between the second and third periods.

Marchand hustles up a breakaway with under 10 seconds left in the period but loses the handle at the last second, recovers in time for a bad-angle try with Stolarz down but cannot find the spot. Story of his season.

3-1 Bruins after two periods.

Shots through 2: 25-14 Boston, and 1:05 remaining on Wahlstrom’s minor.

THIRD PERIOD

Mitch Marner with a gorgeous shot over Swayman’s glove top corner with six seconds left on Wahlstrom’s powerplay, and it’s 3-2 Bruins with 19:01 left.

Holmberg sets up John Tavares in the slot, wide left.

The Leafs are smelling blood and sustaining pressure.

Nicholas Robertson has a lane, tie game at 6:19 of the third. 3-3.

The Bruins push back with a goalmouth chance that Stolarz snuffs out.

The tourists chant “Go Leafs, go!” … to which Bruins fans boo. Are they the same fans that say Bruins management is reactive, not proactive?

Geekie steals the puck from McCabe and Pastrnak does the rest, 4-3 Bruins at 10:33 of the third.

Pastrnak steal but he passes up the shot.

Nylander wins the puck at the Toronto line, 2-on-1 to Tavares, save Swayman. Big cheer from the TDG crowd with 6:47 left and a 4-3 lead.

Puck battle on a Pastrnak zone entry, and Holmberg flips his stick out of his hands and over the side glass where it’s harnessed by a delirious fan. Pastrnak skates to the bench, and Holmberg gets a clean shot at the other end that Swayman stops. 5:09 left.

The incredibly quick Matthews takes the puck 1 on 1 with Nikita Zadorov and manages amidst contact to snap a hard wrister that Swayman blocks.

Marchand steps in front of Matthews’ shot. Pavel Zacha’s clear is knocked down, but the Bruins survive.

But Holmberg, who has had a big game, roofs the puck from the slot and it’s 4-4 with 46 seconds left in regulation.

Time expires, and the Bruins have a point. It doesn’t matter that Toronto gets one, too. The big question is whether the Bruins are going to get two tonight.

OVERTIME

TO: Marner, Tavares and Rielly.

BOS: Zacha, Pastrnak and Lohrei.

Replacements, and Matthews cannot corral Knies’ through pass. Knies gets a shot, save Swayman.

Elias Lindholm passes up a shot, Marchand resets, Zadorov goes in, save Stolarz. 1:20 left.

Lohrei creates a big chance, it doesn’t go, Marner alone, Toronto wins, 5-4 with 51.3 seconds left in the overtime.

Once again, the Bruins snatch defeat from the jaws of victory and leave a point on the table. Back home Thursday against the Islanders before weekend road games at Pittsburgh and Minnesota.

Drive safely and sweep your loved ones away from any trash talk outside the arena.

It’s only a game.