BOSTON – Matthew Knies scored 2:26 into overtime as the Toronto Maple Leafs topped the Boston Bruins 2-1 on Tuesday to avoid elimination in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series.
The rookie winger scored after captain John Tavares took the puck hard to the net in the extra period to give the Leafs life.
Jake McCabe had the other goal for Toronto. Joseph Woll, who got the start for Llya Samsonov, made 28 saves.
Game 6 takes place Thursday in Toronto. Game 7 would take place again Saturday at TD Garden, if necessary.
Trent Frederic answered for Boston, which still leads 3-2 in the best-of-seven series, but the memories of last spring’s 3-1 lead against the Florida Panthers in the opening round are still fresh. will have.
Jeremy Swayman stopped 31 shots.
The Leafs were under star center Auston Matthews after an illness forced him out of the second intermission of Toronto’s 3-1 loss on home ice in Game 4. The 26-year-old sniper, who led the NHL with 69 goals in the regular season, made a cameo during Tuesday’s optional morning skate, but was unable to join his teammates as the group was facing elimination.
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Woll made his playoff debut last season in Toronto’s second-round loss to Florida, with Samsonov out with an injury. He played a flawless third period Saturday that pushed the Leafs to the brink after his crease partner was pulled.
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Toronto, which rallied from 3-1 deficits to Boston in 2013 and 2018 before losing in seven games, opened the scoring at 5:33 of the first period in a nervous TD Garden.
Max Domi won a faceoff on a cherry-pick and Mitch Marner gave McCabe a puck back so he could seven home his first of the series off a screen.
Woll at the other end had little to do with the shots at 7-1 until a hard bounce put the Bruins back on level terms. Leafs defenseman Simon Benoit’s clearing attempt behind the net hit Boston forward Pat Maroon and bounced in front to Frederic for him to bury his third at 13:54.
The visitors’ stunning power play — 1-for-14 in the series that started Tuesday — had a chance a minute later, but couldn’t create much in a period when Toronto still dominated 12-2 on the shot clock.
The Leafs’ under-fire penalty kill did its work early in the second before William Nylander, who missed the first three games with an undisclosed injury, rang a shot off the crossbar while emerging from the box.
Woll made a nice pad stop on Morgan Geekie and Domi had a shot blocked that trickled just wide of Swayman’s goal.
Toronto came close late in the period, but Boston held down the fort for a scrum that saw Bruins captain Brad Marchand chase Marner – leading to a Leafs power play with 1:38 left to start the third.
But Toronto couldn’t do anything with the fresh ice and fell to 1-for-17 with the man advantage.
Marchand then had a great opportunity after spending a long time in the penalty area, but could only fire his effort wide. Bruins forward and Pontus Holmberg received compensatory minors and Boston’s Charlie Coyle rattled Woll’s right post with a shot as the teams played 4-on-4.
The Toronto goalie then robbed tight end Frederic with 7:27 to play before Swayman stopped Tyler Bertuzzi in a 2-on-1 with Domi.
THE CHANGEOVER
The Bruins made two lineup changes, with defenseman Matt Grzelcyk replacing Kevin Shattenkirk and former Leafs prospect Justin Brazeau taking John Beecher’s spot.
Toronto blueliner Timothy Liljegren returned to the team in place of TJ Brodie, while Connor Dewar withdrew with Matthews out.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 30, 2024.
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