Toronto Maple Leafs strike back and defeat Boston Bruins 4-2

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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Toronto Maple Leafs strike back and defeat Boston Bruins 4-2. Here is the summary of the game played on Monday, April 16, 2018

GAME SUMMARY         |           EVENT SUMMARY        |           FACEOFF SUMMARY

ON THE SCORESHEET

James van Riemsdyk put the Maple Leafs on the board at 17:05 of the first period on the power play. He now has goals (2) in two consecutive games this series. During the regular season, van Riemsdyk registered 11 power play goals, which ranked second among Toronto skaters.

Patrick Marleau scored Toronto’s second goal of the night at 3:49 of the second period and the fourth Maple Leafs goal of the game at 16:25 of the third. Marleau is the active leader among Maple Leafs with 70 career playoff goals in 80 career playoff games. Tonight’s game is Marleau’s ninth career multi-goal game in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Auston Matthews recorded the third Maple Leafs goal of the game at 14:47 of the second period. Matthews’ goal is his first of the postseason. In 2017, he led the Maple Leafs in playoff goals (4).

Tyler Bozak registered the primary assist on van Riemsdyk’s first period goal. Bozak has points (1-1-2) in two consecutive games.

Morgan Rielly picked up the secondary assist on van Riemsdyk’s first period goal and had the secondary assist on Marleau’s second period goal. Rielly has assists (3) in each of the first three games to start the series. Tonight’s game is Rielly’s second career multi-point and multi-assist playoff game (April 17, 2017 vs. Washington).

Mitch Marner registered the primary assist on Marleau’s second period goal and the secondary assist on Marleau’s third period goal. Marner has points (1-3-4) in three consecutive games. Tonight’s game is Marner’s second career multi-assist game in the playoffs and his third career multi-point game in the playoffs.

William Nylander recorded the primary assist on Matthews’ second period goal. Nylander has four assists in nine career playoff games.

Zach Hyman picked up the secondary assist on Matthews’ second period goal. Hyman has points (1-2-3) in three consecutive games to open the series.

Tomas Plekanec registered the primary assist on Marleau’s third period goal. Plekanec has 34 assists in 90 career playoff games.

Frederik Andersen made 40 saves to earn the victory.

SHOTS FIRED

The Bruins had a 42-30 lead in shots on goal in all situations and a 36-28 edge in shots on goal at 5-on-5.

Boston had a 79-66 lead in shot attempts in all situations and a 67-64 lead in shot attempts at 5-on-5.

Auston Matthews recorded a team-high five shots on goal.

William Nylander registered nine shot attempts to lead the Maple Leafs.

SHOTS ON GOAL

SHOT ATTEMPTS

OF NOTE…

Tonight’s attendance was 19,663.

The Maple Leafs went 1-for-1 on the penalty kill and 1-for-1 on the power play tonight.

Jake Gardiner was on the ice for a team-high 33 Toronto shot attempts-for at 5-on-5. He finished the game with a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 57.9 percent (33 for, 24 against).

Andreas Johnsson started 16.7 percent of his 5-on-5 shifts in the offensive zone, which was the lowest percentage among all Toronto skaters.

Auston Matthews won all three of his offensive zone faceoffs against Boston centre Riley Nash.

MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS

UPCOMING GAMES:

Monday, April 16, 7 p.m., Boston at Toronto (CBC, TVA Sports, NBCSN)

Thursday, April 19, 7 p.m., Boston at Toronto (CBC, TVA Sports, NBCSN)

Saturday, April 21, TBD, Toronto at Boston (TBD)

*Monday, April 23, TBD, Boston at Toronto (TBD)

*Wednesday, April 25, TBD, Toronto at Boston (TBD)
*If Necessary

POSTGAME QUOTES:

HEAD COACH MIKE BABCOCK

On the biggest difference from the first two games:

I thought game one we were no good, I thought game two we were way better than the score indicated, to be honest with you. I thought we started good in that game and it didn’t go our way, it kind of came unraveled. I thought tonight we had a better push. Our goaltender kind of part way through the game really settled in and got playing the way he’s capable of playing. That made huge difference for us. Obviously, our fans and our building, we had last change, all those things. We’ve been good at home all year. It’s nice to get one here. We’ve got a couple of days now to get regrouped and get ready for the next one.

On Plekanec’s performance tonight:

I thought Plek was outstanding, really good for us. He played his best game since he’s been here, maybe just the fact he maybe didn’t feel as important as he should have when he got here affected his play, but I thought he was really good and a huge factor in our win.

On how important it was to Matthews to score a goal:

I think important. I think when you’re my age, social media it doesn’t even really affect your life. When you’re his age, it affects your life and you know what people are saying and it’s not just what people are saying – you want to be the best player in the world and it’s not going the way you want, it probably tightens you up. Now, I haven’t talked to him about this, so I don’t know, this is me speculating, but I think tonight gets a huge weight off his shoulders and instead of thinking about all this stuff it’ll just come natural and he’ll get playing again. That, to me, is a huge thing for him. What you’ve got to remember is these guys are young guys. They’re playing against real players and they’re young guys. You’ve got to go through some of these slappings in your life to respond and learn how to play and do things right.

On Andersen’s stick save on Pastrnak:

Mitch [Marner] had fallen down in the corner so Patty [Marleau] had to come over and help out. The next thing you know they were able to seam us. It was a huge save for us because obviously, we stayed at [a two-goal lead] instead of being tight and having to battle through that last minute. It’s always easier when you’re up two. I thought that was a real big save for Freddie and it’s important – Freddie has been one of our best players all year and we need him to be good. He’s got to feel like he’s back. You talk about Auston, Freddie is one of those guys that have got to feel like he’s back, it hasn’t gone as good for him in the first couple of games and we need him to be good.

On what allowed Plekanec to be successful defensively against Boston’s top line tonight:

That’s a good question. Just a mature guy, knows how to play, played well defensively, he’s good in the faceoff circle. Mitch and Patty were fast and hard and so we spent a little more time in the offensive zone. They still came to life when they had the power play – late in the game, it wasn’t a power play, but it was like a power play – but, I thought that line was good for us.

On Zaitsev’s performance:

A big night, but if you go through the goals, two of them that went against him had nothing to do with anything. They just bounced off four people and went in the net. I think it’s important that he bounce back but I also think – we watch the whole thing, we don’t just say, ‘you’re dash-4, you had four against you, what happened?’ We think he’s a real good player, probably better than anyone else thinks. We think he’s that good.

FREDERIK ANDERSEN (40 SAVES)

On his stick save on Pastrnak:

They had a lot of bodies in front of the net and I picked up where the pass will be so I tried to get something on it and luckily, I was able to get to it and keep it out of the net. It was good.

On if he makes similar stops on teammates in practice:

I try, I don’t know. They’re not that common, but that’s why you work on your tracking skills.

On how he felt in goal tonight:

I felt pretty good. The Chara goal I got caught expecting him to shoot off the ice and try to create a rebound. I didn’t know he had that type of shot where he can do that down low there. Besides that, I felt good.

PATRICK MARLEAU (2 GOALS)

On the team using its speed tonight:

Seems we were able to get in there using our speed a lot more. I think we weren’t turning the pucks over as much so that obviously helps a lot.

On the play Mitch Marner made to set up his first goal:

He’s been setting me up all year so just going there, trying to get my stick down on the ice… he made a good play.

On the advantages of playing at home:

I think just using that excitement and energy from the fans. Obviously having the second change is something that you try to take advantage of but for the most part it’s just having that energy.

On the atmosphere:

It was crazy. It was great. I look forward to the next one.

MITCH MARNER (2 ASSISTS)

On what changed from games one and two:

I think we stuck to our game plan, we got the puck in our hands quickly and went up quickly. I think we used our speed tonight – the last two games we haven’t really been using our speed too much. We’ve just got to keep this going into game four.

On the importance of establishing speed in the game:

That’s what we want to do, obviously. We want to make sure we’re playing at our pace, playing the game fast and I think that’s what we kind of got away from the first two games. I think tonight we got that back and going forward we’re going to need that.

On playing with Plekanec tonight:

Pleky is a hell of a player. He’s very good at shutting down the team’s best players, he’s done it a long time in Montreal and, I mean, I got to see it first-hand tonight. He’s always above people, he’s always above the puck and when he gets it in his hands he makes smart plays. It was fun playing with him, he’s very responsible with the puck and, at the same time, he’s got a lot of offensive skill. 

AUSTON MATTHEWS (1 GOAL)

On what led to tonight’s victory:

I think it was just better details. We knew this was kind of a do-or-die game for us. We’ve been good at home; the crowd was into it and it was a fun game. Good win for us.

On if he felt he had a personal point to prove tonight:

Absolutely, I think everybody did. I didn’t feel like we played to the capability we’re capable of so tonight was definitely a statement game for us.

On the feeling when he scored his goal:

It’s great. The crowd and everything, it feels like an earthquake when you score, especially in the playoffs. It’s definitely emotional. It’s exciting.

On Andersen’s stick save on Pastrnak:

Yeah, that was one of the best saves I’ve ever seen. It was unbelievable. That’s a game-changer, for sure, because there’s still two minutes left and now you’re down by one. That was an unbelievable save. It was awesome.

TOMAS PLEKANEC (1 ASSIST)

On his line’s play tonight:

As I told you guys this morning it’s never about one guy playing against a line like that. You’ve got to play well as a unit of five and I thought that’s what we did.

On his own play tonight:

Yeah, I felt better, obviously you know every player will tell you when you play you feel much better about yourself and get confident. The key to that is a good start to the game. We had a good first couple of shifts which gets you going and shake off that rust you had from previous games. I can’t say enough about Patty [Marleau] and Mitchy [Marner], it’s fun to play with those guys.

JAMES van RIEMSDYK (1 GOAL)

On adjustments that led to tonight’s win:\

It just comes down to those details and playing on the right side of the puck, making smart decisions with the puck and that sort of stuff. That’s when you get yourself into trouble – when you give away easier scoring chances against. It’s hard enough as it is to score so you want to make them earn all their chances as well so you’re not chasing the game. We got off to a good start and that was good for us.

On how it feels to win tonight:

You’ve got to stay even-keel through the rollercoaster ride. Things can happen if you let it get to you, it can put a lot of stress on you, but you’ve got to stay with it through the emotional swings and the momentum swings of playoff hockey. That’s what we were able to do tonight. Now, again, we’ve got to get right back at it for game four.