Krejci scores in shootout, Bruins beat Maple Leafs
TORONTO (AP) David Krejci will get a lot of the credit for the Bruins' victory. He'd prefer to give it to the penalty-kill unit.
Krejci scored the only goal in the shootout and Boston stopped a power play in overtime as the Bruins beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 on Monday night to sweep a home-and-home series.
''At the end of the day, it's nice to get a win,'' said Krejci. ''It wasn't pretty today, but our (penalty kill) was huge tonight, especially in OT.''
Patrice Bergeron extended his point streak to eight games with an assist, Brad Marchand scored twice and Zac Rinaldo also had a goal in regulation for the Bruins (11-8-1), who defeated Toronto 2-0 in Boston on Saturday.
Krejci scored in the third round, waited for Toronto's James Reimer to commit before sliding the puck through the goalie's legs for the deciding goal.
''I just bit, a shootout's a shootout,'' said Reimer. ''I wish I could have been more patient but (Krejci) slowed up, made a couple moves and opened me up.''
Joffrey Lupul, Leo Komarov and Tyler Bozak scored for the Maple Leafs (7-10-5).
Entering Monday, the Maple Leafs were struggling to score at even strength. Their last five-on-five goal was against the New York Rangers on Nov. 15 before Lupul put his club on the board in the second period - a span of 211 minutes, 39 seconds.
Toronto, though, was 0 for 5 with the man advantage against Boston. The Maple Leafs also gave up a short-handed goal.
Tuukka Rask made 39 saves for the win. Reimer stopped 26 shots for the Maple Leafs.
The Bruins opened the scoring while down a man at 4:58 of the first period off a gaffe from Reimer.
Marchand started the play by getting Reimer to turn over the puck behind his net. The 27-year-old fed it out front to Bergeron, who was initially stopped by Reimer before Marchand batted the rebound out of the air into an open net.
''At the end of the day, obviously I'd like to be a little sharper,'' said Reimer. ''I made a few mistakes tonight, but that's the way she goes.
''You're not going to be perfect every night,'' he said.
Boston doubled its lead as Rinaldo beat Reimer short side with a snap shot from the off wing at 12:39 for his first of the season.
''It felt really good to get that first one, get that monkey off my back,'' Rinaldo said.
Toronto, which hadn't allowed a first-period goal in its previous eight outings, outshot the Bruins in the opening 20 minutes 12-9 and held a 28-17 shot advantage heading into the third.
The teams combined for four goals in a 4:15 span in the second period.
Lupul cut Boston's lead in half with a snap shot through a screen that beat Rask blocker side at 11:54.
The Bruins looked to have a sure goal only moments later but Reimer came up with his biggest save of the night by going post to post to stop Jimmy Hayes with his right pad.
Komarov put home a loose puck at the side of the net during a goal-mouth scramble to tie it 2-all at 12:56.
''Leo's been unbelievable,'' xMaple Leafs coach Mike Babcock said. ''He's dangerous every night, he plays hard every night, he finishes checks, he plays on offense, he plays on defense, he just plays. He's a good player.''
The Bruins went back ahead when Reimer let the puck squeeze between his pad and the post on a shot from Marchand at 14:40. The goal was originally credited to Landon Ferraro but was changed after review.
Bozak responded for the Leafs by wedging a rebound over Rask's right pad at 16:09 to even it up.
Toronto had a great opportunity to take its first lead when Adam McQuaid took a double-minor late in the second, but the Leafs were unable to convert on the four-minute power play that carried over into the third period.
Late in overtime, James van Riemdyk was robbed by Rask with a glove save in close off a rebound to force the shootout.
''We stuck with it and it paid off again,'' said Rask. ''A good character win.''
NOTES: Boston went 0 for 3 on the power. ... Forward Landon Ferraro made his Bruins debut after being claimed off waivers from Detroit. ... Forward Nick Spaling was back in the Leafs lineup for Daniel Winnik, who was a healthy scratch.
