Final: Bruins fall 4-1 to Maple Leafs, trail first round playoff series 1-0
TORONTO, ON – JANUARY 12: Tuukka Rask of the Boston Bruins faces a shot from Parl Lindholm of the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena. The Bruins defeated the Maple Leafs 3-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
The Boston Bruins kicked off the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs with one of their most disappointing efforts of the season, falling 4-1 to the Toronto Maple Leafs. They trail the best-of-seven series 1-0. After grabbing a 1-0 lead in the first period, the Leafs tied it late then blew it open with two second-period goals.
Live Recap:
— Third period, 1:19: John Tavares flips it into the empty net from center ice. 4-1 Leafs. TD Garden fans scramble for the exits.
— Third period, 2:35: Tuukka Rask heads to the bench. Empty net for the Bruins as they try to mount an epic comeback down 3-1 in the closing minutes.
— Third period, 12:58: Clock is ticking for the Bruins. The top line of Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak, and Brad Marchand really threatened for the first time in what felt like an eternity, with Pastrnak and Marchand both getting quality chances down low.
— Second period, 1:35: William Nylander gets behind the whole Bruins defense and beats Rask off his paddle through the five-hole to make it 3-1 Leafs.
— Second period, 7:58: Jake DeBrusk appeared to get banged up on Mitch Marner’s breakaway that led to the penalty shot. He briefly left the game, but has returned to the Bruins bench.
— Second period, 17:13: Mitch Marner draws a penalty shot after being dragged down on a breakaway by Jake DeBrusk. Marner dekes Tuukka Rask and freezes him, tucking it into an open net and making it 2-1 Leafs. Shorthanded goal for Marner, his second of the game.
Mitch Marner 🚨
— Flintor (@TheFlintor) April 12, 2019
Penalty Shot ✅ 2-1 Leafs. pic.twitter.com/eh8MPh3Dht
— First period, 3:06: Mitch Marner scores for the Leafs to tie it up. The play started with Leafs defenseman Jake Muzzin, who blasted a shot off the post. The puck took a funny bounce toward Marner, who wasn’t being covered. Tuukka Rask looked like he didn’t see where the puck bounced and didn’t react in time. Marner has a relatively easy shot. 1-1.
— First period, 10:29: Patrice Bergeron gets the Bruins on the board! Brad Marchand finds Bergeron near the net untouched with a cross-ice pass, and Bergeron practically has the whole net to shoot at as he buries it. 1-0 Bruins.
Marchy vision. 👀#NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/dJRyDFfaCU
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) April 11, 2019
— First period, 11:05: After an early lull for both teams in terms of scoring chances, Connor Clifton wakes up the TD Garden crowd with a bone-crushing hit on William Nylander.
— Official starting lineup for the Bruins:
Here's how we're starting out in Game 1.#NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/RDGW1BoL0W
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) April 11, 2019
— Expected Bruins lineup:
#NHLBruins coach Bruce Cassidy confirms his lineup for Game 1:
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) April 11, 2019
Marchand - Bergeron - Pastrnak
DeBrusk - Krejci - Kuhlman
Johansson - Coyle - Heinen
Nordstrom - Acciari - Wagner
Chara - McAvoy
Krug - Carlo
Grzelcyk - Clifton
Rask pic.twitter.com/ButdTmyNNw
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