Leafs and Bruins heading to Game 7

The Maple Leafs scored the first goal Sunday but gave up a pair of power play markers in a 4-2 loss to the Bruins in Game 6.

LEAFS STRIKE FIRST, BUT BRUINS PUSH BACK WITH PAIR OF POWER PLAY GOALS

The Leafs were aiming to win their fourth game of the series Sunday and move on to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, and Toronto got off to a great start at Scotiabank Arena when blueliner Morgan Rielly's shot from the point evaded Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask at 9:42 of the first to give the Buds a 1-0 advantage:

The Bruins generated the game-tying goal at 11:23 of the first when winger Brad Marchand scored on Boston's first power play of the night. And at the 17:02 mark, the visitors took the lead by scoring another power play marker - this one, by D-man Torey Krug. Boston outshot the Leafs 14-6 in the first and might have had a bigger lead were it not for some spectacular saves from Toronto goalie Frederik Andersen, who gave his team an opportunity to get back into it.

BRUINS LIMIT LEAFS' OFFENSIVE CHANCES TO PERIMETER IN SECOND, ADD A GOAL TO MAKE IT 3-1 FOR VISITORS ENTERING THIRD

The Leafs did spend time in Boston's zone in the second period, but for too much of it, their offensive-zone play was limited to the perimeter, and as a result, the Bruins outshot Toronto 7-1 to start the period and added their third goal of the night at 7:57 of the second.
Toronto had a handful of near-misses on Rask, but Boston dictated much of the play in the middle frame, and outshot the Buds 16-9 in the second. It doesn't matter if it's the regular-season or the post-season, that type of differential doesn't speak well for the Leafs' chances of pulling out a comeback win.

MATTHEWS PULLS LEAFS WITHIN ONE EARLY IN THIRD, BUT TORONTO CAN'T GET GAME-TYING GOAL AS BRUINS FORCE SEVENTH GAME

Toronto was a much more consistently engaged squad in the third period, outshooting Boston 6-3 through the first half of the period, and getting their second goal of the night via Auston Matthews' fifth goal in his past four playoff games:

Matthews' goal - which came at 4:15 of the third - infused the Scotiabank Arena crowd with a new energy, and the Buds turned up the heat and pressure on Boston. And although Andersen did everything he could to give the Leafs a chance to tie it, the Buds couldn't produce the game-tying goal as the Bruins evened the series and set up a deciding Game 7 Tuesday in Boston.
The good news for Leafs Nation: neither team has won two consecutive games in the series, and two of Toronto's three wins thus far have come on the road. And if the Leafs' season is to continue, they'll need one more road win.