Bruins defeat Maple Leafs in Game 4, on verge of winning series

TORONTO -- Brad Marchand had a goal and an assist, helping the Boston Bruins to a 3-1 victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference First Round at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday.

The Bruins lead the best-of-7 series 3-1. Game 5 is at Boston on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, NESN, SNP, SNO, SNE, TVAS, CBC).

Marchand set the Bruins record for career Stanley Cup Playoff goals, passing Cam Neely with his 56th when he made it 2-0 on the power play at 8:20 of the second period. He one-timed a pass from Charlie McAvoy below the right face-off dot.

“He was outstanding the last two games here,” Boston forward David Pastrnak said. “He creates so much for our team, not only the production that is coming right now last couple games for him, but he’s all over the ice. He’s killing (penalties) for us, he’s playing big minutes. … He’s our captain and he definitely led us the right way the last two games, and it’s easy to follow when your captain is doing that.”

Marchand has eight points (three goals, five assists) in four games during the series.

James van Riemsdyk and Pastrnak scored for the Bruins, who are the No. 2 seed from the Atlantic Division. Jeremy Swayman made 24 saves in his second straight start.

“What went into the decision (to play Swayman again over Linus Ullmark) was we rotated the first two games and then Swayman played so well, we were going to go with the hot hand,” Boston coach Jim Montgomery said.

Mitch Marner scored for the Maple Leafs, who are the No. 3 seed from the Atlantic. Ilya Samsonov was pulled after allowing three goals on 17 shots through two periods, and Joseph Woll made five saves in relief.

“Obviously tough when this was an important game,” Toronto defenseman Morgan Rielly said. “I think we have to look to be better, we’ve got areas to clean up. I think more things going towards their net. I thought we turned down some shots. When we did get offensive-zone time and did get things towards their net, there was some stuff happening but not nearly enough. Neutral zone, they did a good job of clogging it up.”

Toronto has lost its past six home playoff games dating to Game 5 of the 2023 Eastern Conference First Round and has scored more than two goals once in its past 11 playoff games.

Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews did not play after the second period. He had one shot on goal in 14:16.

“It’s all related to the illness he’s been dealing with,” Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe said. “He’s been giving us everything that he has. Ultimately the doctors pulled him.”

Van Riemsdyk put the Bruins up 1-0 at 15:09 of the first period. Ryan Reaves’ clearing attempt along the right boards went off Boston defenseman Mason Lohrei’s stick and bounced to van Riemsdyk in the left circle before he made a backhand deke to beat Samsonov.

“It gives us another line that is going to score,” Montgomery said about the play of van Riemsdyk, who was a healthy scratch for the first two games of the series. “Besides how good he is on the power play, how effective he can be at 5-on-5 offensively.”

Toronto had two shots through the first 10:28 of the game.

“Hard to say [why], it’s hard to pinpoint,” Keefe said. “I’m not sure I’d say it’s lack of energy but it was similar to how we came out in Game 3. Just looked a little tight. In terms of why, it’s hard to pinpoint.”

The Bruins went up 3-0 at 19:18. After Marchand chipped a loose puck past TJ Brodie in the high slot, he passed to Pastrnak, who one-timed a shot past a sprawling Samsonov on a 2-on-0.

Montgomery said the first two periods were as good as Boston has looked in the playoffs.

“We executed well in all three zones and we had a lot of offensive zone time because of the effort offensively and defensively in all three zones,” he said.

Marner cut it to 3-1 at 5:43 of the third period. After a rebound came to him at the right dot, he skated through the slot and backhanded a shot past a sprawling Swayman.

The Bruins have won seven of eight against the Maple Leafs this season, including playoffs. They have held them to seven goals in the four playoff games and are 13-for-14 (92.9 percent) on the penalty kill against Toronto’s power play, which was seventh in the NHL (24.0 percent) in the regular season.

“A little bit of desperation for us,” Marchand said. “We know how offensively gifted they are. They’re extremely talented, you can’t give them much. We kind of saw in the third there, they had a few plays they created out of nothing and they have that ability to do that and take over a game. Some of it is because we are doing the right things and some of it is luck. … We have a big job ahead of us next game and we need to be prepared to do it again.”

NOTES: Maple Leafs forward William Nylander had three shots in 22:05 after missing the first three games with an undisclosed injury. ... Brodie had two shots and was minus-2 in 17:10 after the defenseman was a healthy scratch for the first three games. ... Marchand joined Ray Bourque (46) as the only players in Bruins history to have 40 multipoint playoff games.