BOSTON – Joffrey Lupul scored twice and Phil Kessel registered a rare goal against his former employers as the Toronto Maple Leafs rose to the playoff occasion Saturday night to defeat Boston 4-2 and pull even with the Bruins at a game apiece.
The best-of-seven series switches to Toronto for Games 3 and 4 at the Air Canada Centre on Monday and Wednesday. And the momentum is in the Blue corner after the Leafs broke their TD Garden hoodoo. The last time Toronto scored three goals in Boston was in March 2011.
While the Leafs excelled on the night, a gritty Bruins team refused to yield in a high-stakes game that delivered great entertainment.
Trailing 1-0 early in the second period, Toronto reeled off three unanswered goals before Johnny Boychuk cut the deficit to 3-2 at 10:35 of the third period with a point shot through traffic.
The Boychuk goal cranked up the tension – and the noise. TD Garden was packed with 17,565 – the Bruins’ 156th straight sellout – and they were into it.
James van Riemsdyk quieted the crowd with 3:07 remaining, when the big man managed to pull off a pirouette while parked in front of goal, spinning before putting the puck in off goalie Tuukka Rask for an insurance goal and a 4-2 lead.
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