Bruins survive, advance
Seven in Game 7 too much for Leafs
The Bruins scored four goals in the third period to defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs 7-4 in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference first-round series last night.
The Bruins advance to the second round and will play the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday (3 p.m.) in Game 1 at Amalie Arena.
The Bruins tied the game 4-4 during a 4-on-4 situation at 1:10 of the third period. Patrice Bergeron won a faceoff in the Leafs zone and got the puck to Kevan Miller on the side wall. Miller fed Krug, who one-timed a slap shot that beat goalie Frederik Andersen low to the glove side.
Jake DeBrusk put the B’s up 5-4 on a break out up the right boards at 5:25. DeBrusk muscled his way around defenseman Jake Gardiner and forehanded the puck between Andersen’s pads for his second goal of the game and fifth of the series.
David Pastrnak scored an insurance goal at 11:37. Bergeron fed Pastrnak in the low slot and he slipped the puck around Andersen for his fifth of the series. Brad Marchand scored an empty netter to complete the scoring.
Center Sean Kuraly made the Bruins’ first mistake when he was called for tripping 30 seconds into the game. The Leafs went up 1-0 at 2:05 when right winger William Nylander set up Gardiner for a one-timer from the right point. Gardiner’s shot went through a screen and was redirected by Patrick Marleau past Tuukka Rask on the glove side.
The Bruins evened the score at 4:47 on DeBrusk’s second powerplay goal of the series. David Krejci fed Pastrnak, who one-timed a slap shot through a screen. DeBrusk was positioned in front and tipped it by Andersen.
The Leafs responded at 6:12 when Andreas Johnsson faked a shot from the slot and fed Marleau in the right circle. Marleau’s wrist shot went top shelf inside the near post for his second of the game and fourth of the series.
The Bruins netted the equalizer at 9:10 when Krejci set up Danton Heinen for a turnaround wrist shot for the slot. The tally was Heinen’s first of the playoffs.
The Bruins took their first lead, 3-2, with 36.4 seconds to play in the first. David Backes made a diagonal pass across the zone to Kevan Miller, who fired a slap shot from the right point.
The puck rebounded of the end boards onto the stick of Bergeron with Andersen on the other side of the crease. Bergeron effortlessly flicked it home for his first of the playoffs.
Toronto tied the game 3-3 at 2:07 of the second on hustle work inside the Bruins zone. Nylander slopped a clearing attempt and got the puck to Roman Polak who the along the blue line to Travis Dermott.
Dermott’s first slap shot was blocked by Pastrnak. Dermott got his own rebound, moved into the left circle and beat Rask with a wrist shot threw a screen.