BOSTON — The Bruins got two goals from Brad Marchand but squandered a two-goal third-period lead and fell in overtime Tuesday night to open their post-All-Star break schedule with a loss to the last-place Toronto Maple Leafs.
P.A. Parenteau scored a power-play goal 3:06 into the extra session to seal a 4-3 victory for the Maple Leafs, who entered the game with a NHL-low 17 wins and zero against Atlantic Division opponents. They now are 1-7-6 in divisional games.
Marchand’s two-goal night in a losing effort raised his team-leading season total to 22, just six shy of his career high with 32 games still to play. David Krejci added a goal and an assist for the Bruins, and David Pastrnak chipped in with two assists.
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
Krejci was whistled for holding in overtime, and Parenteau beat Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask during the ensuing 4-on-3 advantage.
Rask finished with 31 saves in the loss, while James Reimer stopped 39 shots to backstop the Leafs to just their second win in their last 11 games.
MARCHING ON
Marchand, who has been on an absolute tear of late, got the Bruins on the board first just before the midway point of the first period.
Toronto initially blanketed Marchand as he entered the offensive zone but lost track of him once the puck moved from Marchand to Matt Beleskey to Jimmy Hayes. Beleskey crashed the net, and Hayes found Marchand wide open at the left circle for an easy goal.
Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock challenged the ruling on the ice, arguing that Beleskey interfered with Reimer in the crease. Referees found no interference, however, and the call stood.
OUT OF A CANNON
After a nondescript second period, the Bruins came out flying in the third.
Marchand potted his second goal of the night 55 seconds into the final frame, and David Krejci jammed his own rebound past Reimer just 26 seconds later to put the Bruins ahead 3-1.
Marchand has scored seven goals in his last seven games after going without one in his previous 11.
TUUKKA TESTED
The Leafs have been a woefully anemic offensive team of late, scoring multiple goals in just three of their previous 10 games entering Tuesday. They made Rask work in this one, though, putting substantial pressure on the Bruins netminder throughout the contest.
Rask held his ground until the 9:56 mark of the second, at which point University of New Hampshire product Daniel Winnik tipped a shot past him to tie the game at one goal apiece.
Redirects were the Leafs’ key to solving Rask. Leo Komarov and Nazem Kadri both deflected in goals in the third to tie the game with less than 10 minutes to play.
UP NEXT
The Bruins head to Buffalo on Thursday to kick off a home-and-home with another divisional foe, the Sabres.
Thumbnail photo via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images
