Matthews helps Maple Leafs beat Bruins

TORONTO — Auston Matthews scored the go-ahead goal in the second period, Patrick Marleau had two goals, and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Boston Bruins 4-2 on Monday night in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.

James van Riemsdyk also scored and Mitch Marner and Morgan Rielly added two assists each ti help Toronto pull to 2-1 in the bestof-seven set. Frederik Andersen stopped 40 shots.

Adam McQuaid and Zdeno Chara had the goals for Boston, Sean Kuraly had two assists, and Tuukka Rask finished with 26 saves.

The Maple Leafs will look to even the series at home in Game 4 on Thursday night.

Matthews was held without a point through 120 minutes where Toronto was outscored, outmuscled and outplayed in losing by a combined 12-4 margin at Boston. However he came through to snap a 2-2 tie with 5:13 left in the second when he rifled a shot short-side highs on Rask from a sharp angle after a great feed down low by William Toronto’s Auston Matthews celebrates after scoring against Boston during Monday’s game. Nylander.

Boston’s top line of David Pastrnak (four goals, five assists), Brad Marchand (one goal, five assists) and Patrice Bergeron (five assists) totaled 20 points through the first six periods of the series while also holding Matthews and Toronto’s top unit off the scoresheet.

But the Maple Leafs finally had an answer on this night as the Bruins’ trio failed to find the range.

The Maple Leafs sealed it with 3:35 left when Marleau scored his second of the night on a 2-on-1 rush, firing a shot past Rask forhis 70th career playoff goal. DEVILS 5, LIGHTNING 2: Taylor Hall had a goal and two assists, setting up Stefan Noesen’s gamewinner with 7:05 play, as New Jersey scored four times in the third to claw its way back into its first-round series with Tampa Bay. Rookie Will Butcher had a power-play goal earlier in the third to tie the score 2-all, and Blake Coleman and Ben Lovejoy added empty net goals late. Cory Schneider made 34 saves while starting in place of Keith Kinkaid. Alex Killorn and Steven Stamkos each had a power-play goal and an assist for the Lightning. Game 4 will be Wednesday in New Jersey.