Bruins Take Game 3, Grab Home Ice Back From the Maple Leafs

With just over a minute gone in the third period, the Bruins took advantage of a Bertuzzi penalty when Jake DeBrusk scored the power-play goal.

The Maple Leafs tied the game when a Morgan Reilly shot bounced off Bertuzzi’s skateblade and into the net. The Bruins quickly regained the lead 18 seconds later when Marchand snuck behind the Leafs’ defense and tipped a pass past Samsinov. Marchand, who has four assists, picked up his first goal of the series.

The Leafs pulled their goaltender with just under two minutes left in the game, but John Tavares tackled Charlie McAvoy behind the Bruins’ net and was whistled for holding. Marchand added an empty-net goal when the Leafs made a rush up the ice in an attempt to tie the game shorthanded.

Nylander Out Again

William Nylander missed a third straight game to open the Leafs first-round series with the Bruins on Wednesday as he continues to work his way back from an undisclosed injury.

Nylander, who played in all 82 regular-season games, set an NHL career high with 98 points (40 goals, 58 assists), second on Toronto, behind Auston Matthews (107 points; 69 goals, 38 assists), and 10th in the League. He scored 40 goals for the second straight campaign and set a career-high with 98 points in 2023-24, but registered just four assists over his final 11 appearances down the stretch.

James van Riemsdyk has played his fair share of playoff contests in Toronto, but all of them have come in a Leafs sweater. On Wednesday night, he would be on the other side for the first time, making his Bruins postseason debut.

The Leafs and Bruins will have 48 hours off between Games 3 and 4 of the best-of-seven series as they will square off for Game 4 of their series on Saturday, April 27.