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Mark Recchi’s Pair Of Goals Leads Bruins Past Leafs
Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Mark Recchi scored twice in the third period to lift the Boston Bruins to a 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs at TD Garden.
David Krejci registered a goal and an assist for the Bruins, who hadn't played since pummeling Toronto 7-2 at home on Saturday. Boston also got goals from defensemen Mark Stuart and Derek Morris, while Tuukka Rask made 32 saves to improve to 6-0-1 in his last seven starts.
Mikhail Grabovski and Nikolai Kulemin tallied early in the third for the Maple Leafs, who have dropped seven straight to their Northeast Division rivals. Vesa Toskala stopped 29 shots in defeat.
Trailing 3-0, Grabovski lit the lamp 18 seconds into the third. Kulemin stationed himself at the side of the net and tipped in Mike Komisarek’s pass from the right point at 4:09.
In the late stages of regulation, the diminutive Jason Blake was whistled for high-sticking towering Boston rearguard Zdeno Chara. Recchi stuffed in the puck on the ensuing power play to restore a two-goal advantage with 2:37 remaining.
Recchi pumped in an empty-netter to seal the victory.
Stuart one-timed a Johnny Boychuk feed past Toskala to open the scoring at 8:01 of the first period.
Toronto defenseman Ian White committed a holding penalty 29 seconds into the middle stanza. Six seconds later, Morris unloaded a slap shot from the right point that beat the Maple Leafs netminder on the stick side.
Boston led 3-0 when Krejci blocked a shot by the opposing team, then used a backhand-forehand deke to beat Toskala on a breakaway with 8:50 remaining in the second period.
These teams meet again on December 19th in Toronto...The Bruins hosted the same team in consecutive games for the first time since playing Montreal on February 11 and 13, 1965...Boychuk collected his first NHL assist...Kulemin skated in his 100th NHL game...Toronto opens a three-game homestand Saturday against Washington...Boston visits rookie sensation John Tavares and the New York Islanders on Saturday.
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