Special teams spark Maple Leafs in shutout of Bruins

TORONTO -- The Toronto Maple Leafs scored three power-play goals and went 6-for-6 on the penalty kill, defeating the Boston Bruins 4-0 at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday.

“Obviously a big one,” Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly said. “I think it comes down to special teams, and we did pretty well in that department and it had a big impact on the game.”

Anthony Stolarz made 29 saves for Toronto, which had lost its previous eight regular-season games against Boston dating to Jan. 14, 2023. It was his first shutout with the Maple Leafs since signing a two-year, $5 million contract ($2.5 million average annual value) as an unrestricted free agent July 2.

“Probably our most complete game of the year,” Stolarz said. “Boston is a very good team. We knew they were physical and they were going to try to grind us down and I think we matched their intensity, matched their physicality really well.”

Rielly had a goal and two assists, William Nylander and Matthew Knies each had a goal and an assist, and Mitch Marner had two assists for the Maple Leafs (7-5-2), who had lost two in a row.

Jeremy Swayman made 23 saves for the Bruins (6-7-1), who had won two in a row by shutout (3-0 at the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday; 2-0 against the Seattle Kraken on Sunday).

“Our special teams, the numbers are the numbers (tonight), right?” Boston coach Jim Montgomery said. “The players that get the privilege of either being on the penalty kill or the power play, along with us coaches, need to be better with our plan and we need to be better with our execution.”

Center Auston Matthews, who is day to day with an upper-body injury, missed the game for the Maple Leafs. Toronto is 36-19-2 without Matthews in the lineup since he entered the NHL in the 2016-17 season.

“Maybe everybody just adds a little more compete to their game,” Nylander said. “Guys are moved up in some spots. … It’s hard to cover up for him, but everybody did their job.”

Rielly put Toronto up 1-0 on the power play at 8:44 of the second period when he shot past Swayman’s glove from the point. The goal ended the Bruins’ shutout streak at 156:31.

Nylander made it 2-0 at 9:58 with another power-play goal. His pass from along the goal line near the left corner ricocheted off Boston defenseman Brandon Carlo’s leg at the top of the crease.

Nylander has scored in four of his past five games (five goals).

“He’s being Willy,” Toronto coach Craig Berube said. “He scores goals. He’s a dynamic player. He’s one of those offensive guys where the puck goes to him. He knows where the puck is going, got a great shot, we all know that. His skill level is off the charts but he’s playing a good game all around, not just thinking about offense.”

Stolarz preserved the two-goal lead at 10:36 when he slid to his right to stop a one-timer from Justin Brazeau on a 3-on-1.

“Some massive saves,” Marner said. “A couple massive back-door saves coming across the crease. Stolarz has been doing it all year for us in that net, so big kudos to him. It definitely could have been a different game or different score without him.”

Knies pushed it to 3-0 on the man-advantage at 14:13 of the third period when he deflected a shot from Nylander at the top of the crease.

“Our power play was clicking,” Nylander said. “We got my lucky goal which set us up a little bit, but our penalty kill was great. We played a great special teams game tonight, which was huge for our club, and Stolarz was obviously incredible.”

The Maple Leafs were 3-for-7 on the power play, the first time this season they have scored more than two power-play goals in a game. They are 7-for-47 (14.1 percent) on the man-advantage this season.

“I don’t think we are going to get carried away thinking we got anything solved,” Rielly said. “I think it was just a matter of time, it was just about sticking with the process and we wanted to shoot more pucks, get more traffic and I thought we did those things, but by no means did we have everything all sorted out now moving forward.”

Steven Lorentz scored into an empty net at 15:58 for the 4-0 final.

“Honestly, it was a tough loss today but I feel like we’ve been right there for the most part of the game,” Bruins forward David Pastrnak said. “Special teams obviously hurt us today. We didn’t do the job on the power play and they did.”

NOTES: The Bruins defeated the Maple Leafs 4-3 in the best-of-7 first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season. … Bruins defenseman Andrew Peeke left the game with an upper-body injury at 11:24 of the first period after taking a hit along the boards from Max Pacioretty. Montgomery did not have an update after the game. … Tyler Johnson had one shot on goal in 13:51 of ice time in his Boston debut and first game of the season after signing a one-year, $775,000 contract on Monday. The forward had been with the Bruins on a professional tryout. … Pastrnak had four shots and was minus-1 in 22:09 after being benched for the third period on Sunday in what Montgomery called “a coach’s decision.” … Marner extended his point streak to six games (one goal, eight assists).