NHL playoffs: Bruins hold off Maple Leafs to even series at 2-2
Published 12:00 am Thursday, April 18, 2019
TORONTO (AP) — David Pastrnak scored twice in quick succession, Brad Marchand had a goal and two assists and the Boston Bruins held off the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-4 on Wednesday night to tie the first-round series 2-2.
Charlie McAvoy had a goal and an assist, Zdeno Chara and Joakim Nordstrom also scored and Tuukka Rask made 38 saves. Auston Matthews scored twice for Toronto. Zach Hyman and Travis Dermott also scored and Frederik Andersen stopped 25 shots.
Game 5 is Friday night in Boston.
After the Maple Leafs overcame a 2-0 deficit to tie it early in the second period, Pastrnak put Boston back in front at 3:16 when he redirected a pass from Marchand on a 2-on-1. The Bruins then got a power play when Matthews went off for roughing, and Marchand whipped a backhand pass to a wide-open Pastrnak, who snapped the puck short-side on Andersen for his second goal in 1:35.
Chara made it 5-2 at 5:39 of the third. At 42 years, 30 days, the Boston captain became the second-oldest defenseman in NHL history to score a playoff goal. Chris Chelios holds the record at 45 years, 86 days.
Matthews scored on the power play with 8:08 left, and Dermott made it 5-4 through traffic with 6:33 remaining. Nordstrom scored into an empty net with two seconds to go.
STARS 5, PREDATORS 1
DALLAS (AP) — Roope Hintz and Alexander Radulov scored power-play goals on Dallas’ first two shots, and the Stars chased Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne with an early four-goal onslaught, beating the Predators and TO even series at two games each.
Hintz added his second career playoff goal in the second period, on John Kingberg’s third assist of the game. Andrew Cogliano and Mats Zuccarello also scored, and Ben Bishop stopped 34 shots.
Roman Josi scored for the Predators.