Pastrnak, Marchand spark Bruins in win against Maple Leafs
via NHL.com
David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand each had a goal and an assist, and Brett Ritchie broke a tie in the third period when the Boston Bruins defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 at TD Garden on Tuesday.
Par Lindholm scored, and Tuukka Rask made 28 saves for the Bruins (6-1-2), who won for the first time in three games (1-0-2). They lost 4-3 in overtime at Toronto on Saturday, their previous game.
Ritchie made it 3-2 when he scored from the slot at 6:35.
“It’s a big goal,” Ritchie said. “We’re tied going into the third, and we wanted to try and jump on them. I think we knew we had fresher legs, obviously they played last night. So I’m just glad we could get the lead there and we were able to hang on.”
Kasperi Kapanen and Alexander Kerfoot each had a goal and an assist, and Michael Hutchinson made 35 saves for the Maple Leafs (5-4-2), who lost their second straight game (0-1-1). They lost 4-3 in overtime at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday.
“I thought we started good in the third [period],” Toronto coach Mike Babcock said. “It was one of those games where it was a grind the whole way. There wasn’t much room for either team. I thought we hung in there great, on a back-to-back that’s what you want to do. … I liked our effort, I liked our preparation, I liked the plan the guys had and the way we went about it. In the end, the game was right there in the third period, which is what you want in the balance, but we were unable to get it done.”
They said it
“We need to be better. I think it comes from the leadership group. I need to be better. All of us need to be better. I think we just need to look each other in the eye and hold each other accountable.” — Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews
“I’m just super happy that I’ve been part of this organization and a town like this so many years.” — Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask after playing his 500th NHL game, all with Boston
Need to know
Pastrnak’s goal was his 300th NHL point in 329 games, making him the fourth Bruins player (Barry Pederson, 235; Bobby Orr, 279; Ray Bourque, 316) to reach that total in fewer than 350 games. Pastrnak has 17 points (10 goals, seven assists) during a seven-game point streak and eight goals during a four-game goal streak. … Marchand has 14 points (five goals, nine assists) during an eight-game point streak. … Maple Leafs center John Tavares missed his third straight game with a broken finger. … Bruce Cassidy coached his 200th game for Boston.
What’s next
Maple Leafs: Host the San Jose Sharks on Friday (7 p.m. ET; SN1, TVAS, NBCSCA, NHL.TV)
Bruins: Host the St. Louis Blues on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, NHL.TV)