Marchand’s Two-Goal Game Lifts Bruins to Game Three Victory Over the Maple Leafs
After splitting the first two games in Boston's TD Garden, the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs continued their first-round series on Wednesday night in Game Three as the series moved north of the border. After suffering an upper-body injury in the regular season finale, there was some hope going into Game Three that William Nylander would be able to return to the Maple Leafs for their postseason run. Nylander would, however, be unable to start for Toronto and would miss his third straight game. The highly anticipated series between the Bruins and Maple Leafs would continue in Game Three, which was nothing short of thrilling thanks to two goals from Bruins captain Brad Marchand, who helped his team steal Game Three with a 4-2 victory and take a 2-1 series lead.
Following a scoreless first period, the Maple Leafs would break the scoreless tie with 6:50 remaining in the second period when Mitch Marner found Matthew Knies, who stormed the net and managed to slip the puck past goaltender Jeremy Swayman's right leg. With 2:23 remaining in the second, Boston's Trent Frederic would tie the score at 1-1 after sprinting to the left side of the offensive zone and wrist-shooting the puck under goaltender Ilya Samsonov's pads. Jake DeBrusk scored on a rebound shot in the front of the net during a power play chance, giving the Bruins a 2-1 lead only one minute into the third period.
At 11:25 in the third period, Tyler Bertuzzi deflected a shot from Morgan Rielly into the net, bringing the Maple Leafs and Bruins even at 2-2. Only 28 seconds later, Brad Marchand scored his first goal of the game, giving the Bruins a 3-2 lead. Marchand received the puck in the offensive zone and wrist-shotted it over Samsonov's right shoulder. With 36 seconds left in regulation, Marchand would record his second goal of the game on an empty-netter and would seal the Bruins 4-2 victory over the Maple Leafs. Goalie Jeremy Swayman made 28 saves out of 30 attempts for Boston in the victory, while the Bruins outshot Toronto 34–30. Heading into Game Four on Saturday night, the Bruins will look to take a commanding 3-1 series lead. Meanwhile, Auston Matthews and the Maple Leafs will look to respond and even the series at two apiece.
