Matthews, others fail to boost Maple Leafs against Bruins in Game 4

TORONTO -- Where were some of the Toronto Maple Leafs' top players when it mattered?

It was a question being asked by many of the 19,689 fans at Air Canada Centre on Thursday, not to mention by Toronto coach Mike Babcock.
The Maple Leafs lost 3-1 to the Boston Bruins in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference First Round and trail the best-of-7 series 3-1 entering Game 5 in Boston on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; NBC, CBC, SN, TVAS).
RELATED: [Complete Bruins vs. Maple Leafs series coverage]
For the third time in four games, Toronto forwards Auston Matthews and William Nylander did not have a point. Each has one in the series, coming when Nylander assisted on Matthews' game-winning goal in the 4-2 victory in Game 3 on Monday.
Goalie Frederik Andersen also had another shaky night, allowing three goals on 21 shots, including a floater by Bruins defenseman Torey Krug. He has given up 13 goals on 108 shots in the series (4.12 goals-against average, .880 save percentage).
Matthews (63 points; 34 goals, 29 assists) and Nylander (61 points; 20 goals, 41 assists) finished second and third on Toronto in points during the regular season behind Mitchell Marner (69 points; 22 goals, 47 assists). Marner has five points in the series (one goal, four assists).

Andersen, meanwhile, set a Maple Leafs single-season record with 38 victories but hasn't shown that form in this series.
The result: Toronto must win three consecutive games against Boston or it will be eliminated.
The failure of such players to produce has puzzled Babcock, who said he felt Matthews would carry the momentum of his Game 3 performance into Game 4.
"No one is more aware (of his struggles) than he is right now," Babcock said. "I am assuming he thought he was going to come tonight and dominate the game. That's what I thought. I thought the same of [Nylander]. It didn't happen.
"But the other people you're playing against are pros and they're trying too. They're competitive."
Babcock was quick to remind everyone of the ages of his two struggling forwards. Matthews is 20, Nylander 21.
"I think the great thing about playoff time and being a young guy is you get lots of lessons," Babcock said. "I don't know (what happened with them). Not enough happened. I'll look at the tape, go through it all and discuss it with the guys."
Babcock also had some candid words about Andersen.
"We need a game out of our goaltender and we need all hands on deck to have success," he said. "You win, you get to play again. You don't win you don't get to play again. To me that's worth digging in for.
"I think we can go into Boston and win a game. I really believe that."

For that to happen, it would help if Toronto did not fall behind early. In each of the three losses, Andersen allowed the first goal of the game within the first six minutes. Brad Marchand scored at 5:28 in the Bruins' 5-1 victory in Game 1; David Pastrnak scored at 5:26 in Boston's 7-3 win in Game 2; and Krug scored 28 seconds into Game 4.
Andersen said he was screened on the Krug goal but made no excuses.
"I saw I saw it initially, but on the way in I lost it," Andersen said. "It's one I've got to see."
The Maple Leafs also trailed the Bruins 3-1 in the 2013 first round. They won Games 5 and 6 2-1 before losing Game 7 5-4 in overtime, blowing a 4-1 third-period lead.
Forward James van Riemsdyk said he took consolation in the fact that Toronto came so close to completing the comeback five years ago. He said the Maple Leafs must play much better to do it this time.
"We're certainly we're not the first team in this position," van Riemsdyk said. "You have to take one day at a time, one game at a time, one shift at a time.
"Obviously we're going to have to be ready to go for the game on Saturday. Obviously we know what's at stake so I'm sure it won't be too hard to find motivation for that."
Babcock said he thought the Maple Leafs would be more motivated in Game 4, especially because Bruins first-line center Patrice Bergeron was scratched shortly before the game with an upper-body injury.
"When Bergeron didn't play tonight, you're set up pretty good," he said. "You've got to find a way to win. This is in our building, you've got to win."
One positive for Toronto: It will get center Nazem Kadri back for Game 5 following his three-game suspension for a hit on forward Tommy Wingels in Game 1.
"He's a big part of our team," van Riemsdyk said. "But the truth is, we have no margin for error now.
"None."