It’s only November, but the Boston Bruins could certainly count Saturday’s 5-3 win at the Toronto Maple Leafs as a statement game.
The Atlantic Division rivals will not have to wait long for a rematch, as they will face off Tuesday in Boston.
The Bruins have won six straight for the first time since the start of 2023-24. The latest victory ended Toronto’s own three-game winning streak.
“It is always not easy (playing in Toronto), especially when you are missing a few guys too,” Bruins coach Marco Sturm said. “But we kind of stuck with our game, and just like I told the guys, for me, it was a pretty impressive win.”
Boston piled up 39 shots and scored on its lone power play to break a 2-2 tie Saturday. David Pastrnak bagged the game-winner in the second period, and Jeremy Swayman made 15 of his 30 saves in the third.
A key insurance tally with 3:02 left came from 21-year-old Fraser Minten, whom the Bruins acquired from the Maple Leafs in March.
Minten netted five points in 25 career games (19 with Toronto) prior to this season. His three goals and six points this year are already career highs.
“I want to be out there playing, so continuing to build on that and earn trust, earn those minutes is why I play the game,” Minten said.
The Bruins played in Toronto without forward Casey Mittelstadt, who is week-to-week with a lower-body injury, and defenseman Charlie McAvoy, who practiced on Monday after tending to a family matter.
Mason Lohrei, who had been a healthy scratch in the five prior games, registered two assists in McAvoy’s absence.
“Getting ready for the game, I was pretty excited just to be back and playing again,” Lohrei said. “You are always kind of part of the group, so this win streak has been fun no matter what. Obviously, you want to be in, but just go day by day and get ready for your next opportunity.”
The Leafs dropped the second end of their weekend back-to-back with a 5-4 home loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday. Carolina’s three-goal rally offset William Nylander’s pair of goals and Dennis Hildeby’s 42-save effort.
“Could be immaturity, not a willingness to make the easy play,” Toronto coach Craig Berube said. “Turnover after turnover cost us the game tonight. We didn’t check anybody tonight. We didn’t win any battles tonight. That’s two games in a row.”
Hildeby made his seventh career start on Sunday after replacing Anthony Stolarz in the second period against the Bruins. Stolarz, who has shouldered a great workload as Joseph Woll prepares to return from a personal absence, allowed goals on the first two shots he faced and four on 19 in total.
“I just think Stoly’s been obviously overworked. We all know that,” Berube said.
Nylander, an offensive bright spot, responded to his only pointless game of the season on Oct. 13 with an ongoing 10-game point streak. Sunday was his second multi-goal performance in the last four games.
Defenseman Morgan Rielly has points in five straight.
Despite stumbling on the weekend, Toronto is only three points back of the Bruins, who rank second in the Atlantic Division. Nylander knows what needs to change to help a turnaround.
“We’ve been playing good and bad at certain points,” he said. “We’ve just got to sharpen those things up and I think we’ll be good. So, I’m not really worried. I mean, we can score, so without the puck we’ve just got to be better.”
