Parenteau's goal in OT lifts Maple Leafs
Toronto rallies from two goals down in third to beat Boston
by Matt Kalman / NHL.com Correspondent
BOSTON -- PA Parenteau scored a power-play goal 3:06 into overtime, and the Toronto Maple Leafs overcame a two-goal deficit in the third period to defeat the Boston Bruins 4-3 at TD Garden on Tuesday.
Parenteau picked up the rebound of defenseman Jake Gardiner's shot and backhanded the puck past Tuukka Rask for his first goal in 11 games and 12th of the season. It came with Boston's David Krejci in the penalty box for holding.
It was Toronto's first power-play goal in 10 games, covering 29 chances.
"It felt pretty good," Parenteau said. "We had some chances in the last few games on the power play and we couldn't find a way to put it in the net. There was no better moment to score a goal than here tonight."
Toronto (18-22-9) won for the second time in 11 games (2-7-2) and scored four goals for the first time in 11 games. The win was Toronto's first in 14 games against an Atlantic Division opponent this season (1-7-6).
Leo Komarov and Nazem Kadri scored third-period goals to bring the Maple Leafs back from a 3-1 deficit.
Video: TOR@BOS: Kadri ties game with tip-in
Komarov's tip-in at 9:02 trimmed the Bruins' lead to one goal. Defenseman Morgan Rielly kept the puck in at the left point, and his wrist shot went off Komarov's stick at the left hash mark before eluding Rask.
The Maple Leafs kept pressuring Boston and tied the score at 11:31 when defenseman Matt Hunwick kept the puck in at the left point, turned and fired. Kadri, stationed between the circles, deflected the puck past Rask.
Komarov and Kadri each had a goal and an assist, and defenseman Roman Polak had two assists. Goaltender James Reimer made 39 saves in his 200th NHL game.
"I feel like we executed well," Kadri said. "Obviously the start of that third period wasn't too ideal, but that was a character win, being able to come back to fight right through it. And obviously that power-play goal; it's a power play that's been struggling, so that's definitely going to get our confidence up."
The Bruins (26-18-6) lost their second in a row despite two goals from Brad Marchand, who has seven goals in his past seven games. Krejci had a goal and an assist, David Pastrnak had two assists and Rask finished with 31 saves but Boston lost for the fifth time this season after taking a two-goal lead at home.
"I thought we learned from the beginning of the season," Krejci said. "We got a lot better. But today I thought I thought we came out hard. We came out, in the third period especially, to win the game. We got two quick goals. I feel like after that we kind of stopped playing on our toes and we started playing on our heels. You can maybe talk about a couple of lucky bounces on their side, a couple of tips in the high slot. Just kind of tough luck, but like I said I guess we stopped playing to win after we scored those two quick goals."
Marchand cashed the rebound of a Jimmy Hayes shot at 9:37 of the first period to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead. Toronto coach Mike Babcock challenged the goal, claiming goaltender interference on Beleskey, but it stood after a review.
Forward Daniel Winnik got the Maple Leafs even at 9:56 of the second period with his first goal in 19 games. Marchand blocked Polak's shot from the right point, but Polak got it back and fired a wrist shot that Winnik tipped past Rask from the right side of the slot.
The Bruins scored twice in a 26-second span early in the third period to take a 3-1 lead.
Marchand's second goal put the Bruins ahead with 55 seconds elapsed in the period. Krejci extended the lead to 3-1 at 1:21 after Torey Krug hit the crossbar with a shot on the rush. Krejci gloved down the rebound and jabbed at the puck until it slid it under Reimer.
However, the Maple Leafs responded to earn their first win against the Bruins this season (1-2-1).
"It was tough. The third one was on my turnover too, so I take a lot of blame for that one," Parenteau said. "Like I said, Kadri's line got us going there, they showed a lot of character and they brought us back right in the game and we kept believing."
The Bruins start a home-and-home series on the road against the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday. The Maple Leafs host the New Jersey Devils on Thursday.