Third-period collapse

Maple Leafs bounced from playoffs after leading Bruins 4-3 through two periods

Jake DeBrusk scored his second goal of the game on a great individual effort in the third period as the Boston Bruins stormed back to defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs 7-4 on Wednesday in Game 7 to advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Boston, which led the series 3-1 before Toronto mounted a comeback to push the series to its limit, will take on the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference semifinal.

Game 1 of that series goes Saturday in Tampa, Fla.

Patrice Bergeron, with a goal and two assists, David Pastrnak, Danton Heinen, Torey Krug and Brad Marchand also scored for the Bruins. David Krejci had three assists, while Kevan Miller added two of his own.

Tuukka Rask made 20 stops. Pastrnak and Marchand had an assist each for a two-point night.

Patrick Marleau, with two, Travis Dermott and Kasperi Kapanen replied for the Leafs. Frederik Andersen stopped 29 of 35 shots, with Marchand’s goal going into an empty net. William Nylander added two assists.

Toronto forced Game 7 after falling behind 3-1 in the series with a 4-3 victory in Game 5 where Andersen stood on his head with a 42-save performance at TD Garden before picking up 3-1 win on home ice in Game 6.

The Leafs also trailed the Bruins 3-1 the last time the clubs met in the playoffs in 2013 before coming back to tie the series. Toronto then earned the dubious distinction of becoming the first team in NHL history to blow a three-goal lead in the third period of a Game 7 as Boston stormed back from a 4-1 deficit before winning 5-4 in overtime.

The collapse wasn’t quite as bad on this night, but it hurt just the same.

The visitors led 4-3 through two periods only to see Boston tie it 70 seconds into the third when Krug blasted a shot from the point past Andersen with the teams playing 4 on 4.

The Bruins then pulled in front at 5:25 with both teams again playing down a man when he cut around Jake Gardiner off the rush and slipped a shot through Andersen’s five-hole.

AP PHOTO Boston Bruins left-winger Jake DeBrusk celebrates after his goal against Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Frederik Andersen during the first period of Game 7 of an NHL hockey first-round playoff series Wednesday in Boston.