The Boston Bruins have been on a mission to finish their three-game highway journey on a excessive observe.
The Toronto Maple Leafs, nevertheless, ensured that wouldn’t come to fruition for the Black and Gold on Saturday evening at Scotiabank Area.
Toronto put Boston to the final word take a look at, scoring six instances with three coming from Matthew Knies’ first profession hat trick en path to handing the Bruins a 6-4 loss. That charged Boston with its third consecutive defeat, leaving a bitter style within the mouths of the B’s earlier than returning dwelling and turning the web page.
“I feel if we performed good defensive hockey like we had been, we win that recreation simply,” Trent Frederic advised reporters, as seen on NESN’s postgame protection. “I feel the way in which our staff performs we will management (the lapses). I feel a few of it’s on us and I assume we’ll form of watch it tomorrow and determine it out.”
Knies was the lone killer that anchored Boston’s momentum from begin to end, however that’s nothing new. The 22-year-old entered the matchup having netted two targets within the two earlier conferences between the Bruins and Maple Leafs this season and continued the dominance. Knies scored as soon as within the second interval and twice within the third interval — each instances netting go-ahead targets — to drown Boston’s comeback bid.
Story continues beneath commercial
On the brilliant aspect, the Bruins by no means gave in.
Boston combated Knies and the Maple Leafs with two equalizers, one from Morgan Geekie and the opposite from David Pastrnak. Nonetheless, the grit wasn’t sufficient.
“It was humorous, the primary interval we had them taking some defensive zone face-off attracts,” Bruins interim head coach Joe Sacco stated, as seen on NESN’s postgame protection. “In all probability three I consider off the highest of my head. However we by no means actually made them defend. They have been capable of get on the assault an excessive amount of in order that’s on us. We get 4 tonight and we gave up too many so uncharacteristic.”
Sacco added: “Protecting the puck out of our internet is our No. 1 precedence and we didn’t do a ok job of that tonight.”
Story continues beneath commercial
Boston dropped to 20-17-4 with the loss.
Listed below are extra notes from Saturday evening’s Bruins-Maple Leafs matchup:
— Boston ended its 0-3 highway journey scoring two targets per contest, permitting 3.7 to opponents and going 0-for-5 on the facility play. Toronto scored two empty netters within the third interval, inflating its purpose whole from 4 to 6.
“Too simple, the targets they scored,” Pastrnak advised reporters, as seen on NESN’s postgame protection. “I feel we didn’t do a lot to forestall. We bought 4 however we’re chasing the entire recreation so I’m unsure if that’s good.”
Story continues beneath commercial
— The Bruins hadn’t reached the four-goal plateau since Dec. 28, scoring a mixed two as an alternative towards the Washington Capitals and New York Rangers to start the highway journey.
“Hopefully it encourages guys, offers guys confidence — myself included — that we will begin serving to out the staff right here and get extra targets,” Frederic stated, per NESN.
— Geekie bought the Black and Gold on the board within the second interval, netting his ninth purpose of the season. The 26-year-old is as much as seven targets, together with two game-winners, and 5 assists amid a 16-game stretch that dates again to Dec. 16.
— The Maple Leafs have taken two of three matchups this season towards the Bruins. Each groups will meet once more for one remaining time on Feb. 25 in Boston.
Story continues beneath commercial
— The Bruins return dwelling to host the New York Islanders on Sunday in hopes of ending the droop. Puck drop from TD Backyard is about for six p.m. ET, and you may watch the sport, plus a full hour of pregame protection, dwell on NESN.
