Final
Leafs try to rebound against Bruins in Game 2
May 4, 2013 - 2:58 PM (Sports Network) - The Toronto Maple Leafs will try to bounce back from a poor performance in Game 1, as they aim to even the best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarterfinals in Saturday's Game 2 clash at Boston's TD Garden.The Maple Leafs played their first playoff game in nine years on Wednesday, but it did not go well as the fourth-seeded Bruins recorded a 4-1 win on home ice. Toronto scored the game's first goal less than two minutes into the opening period, but it was all downhill from there.
David Krejci registered a goal and two assists, as Boston scored four unanswered goals en route to the easy win in Game 1.
Wade Redden added a goal and an assist, while Nathan Horton and Johnny Boychuk each scored once for the Bruins, who took three of four meetings against the Maple Leafs during the regular season.
Tuukka Rask stopped 19-of-20 shots to help Boston draw first blood in the series, which will shift to Toronto for Games 3 and 4.
James van Riemsdyk netted the lone Toronto goal, while James Reimer, making his first playoff appearance between the pipes, allowed all four goals on 40 shots for the Leafs, who qualified for the postseason for the first time since 2004.
"I just thought that we self-destucted," Toronto coach Randy Carlyle said. "I thought we had a good forecheck going early in the hockey game and then we stopped."
Van Riemsdyk's power-play marker 1:54 into the contest staked the Leafs to an early advantage, but the Bruins scored a pair of goals in a 3:28 span late in the period and never looked back.
"It kind of (took) all the noise out of the crowd and that feeling out of the building when they got that first one," said Boston winger Milan Lucic, who finished with two assists. "We knew we were going to have to score at least one goal to win, and we knew if we kept our composure and focused on what we had to do, we were going to get ourselves back in the game."
Redden started the flurry at the 16:20 mark when his blast from just outside the left circle snuck through the left armpit of Reimer and trickled across the goal line to knot the game. Toronto defenseman Dion Phaneuf was then whistled for slashing just 1:35 later, setting up Horton's go-ahead goal.
Boston went 1-for-5 on the power play, while the Maple Leafs scored once on three opportunities with the man advantage.
The Bruins will play Saturday without defenseman Andrew Ference, who was suspended one game for delivering an elbow to the head of Leafs forward Mikhail Grabovski in the series' opener. Meanwhile, Grabovski took part in practice on Friday and will play in Game 2.
Toronto defenseman Cody Franson is also dealing with a bruised foot, but he's expected to play on Saturday.
This is the 14th time these Original Six teams have met in the playoffs, but the first since 1974, when Boston swept Toronto in the opening round.
Boston improved to 45-45 in Game 1s of a best-of-seven series, with a 31-15 series record when winning Game 1.
Game 3 of this series is scheduled for Monday at Air Canada Centre.
- TORONTO: 4
BOSTON: 2
Final
May 4 9:57 PM - TORONTO: 2
BOSTON: 1
End of 2nd
May 4 8:54 PM - Toronto Goal - Joffrey Lupul (2), from Matt Frattin at 11:56.
Maple Leafs 2, Bruins 1 2nd - 8:04May 4 8:38 PM - TORONTO: 0
BOSTON: 0
End of 1st
May 4 7:56 PM - TORONTO: 0
BOSTON: 0
1st Period - 20:00
May 4 7:15 PM - Cassie Boston whooped Toronto Wednesday. Let's see if Boston strikes back. GO BRUINS!!!
Maple Leafs vs. BruinsMay 1 9:05 PM
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