BOSTON — Mitch Marner netted his second goal of the evening during the final minute of overtime, helping the Toronto Maple Leafs stage a remarkable comeback to edge past the Boston Bruins 5-4 on Tuesday night. The game saw Toronto overturn a three-goal deficit to secure the win.
In a dramatic turn of events, Pontus Holberg scored the equalizer for Toronto with only 46 seconds remaining in regulation time, capitalizing on a scramble in front of the net while goalie Anthony Stolarz was on the bench for an additional attacker. This came after David Pastrnak had given Boston a temporary 4-3 lead with his second goal of the match.
The game began with Pastrnak extending his personal record by securing a point in fifteen consecutive games, scoring on a breakaway just seconds into the contest. The Bruins built an early 3-0 advantage, thanks to Morgan Geekie’s power-play goal midway through the second period.
Toronto’s Morgan Reilly and Nicholas Robertson also found the back of the net, contributing to the Maple Leafs’ sixth victory in their last seven outings. Robertson’s wrist shot past Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman tied the game 6:40 into the third period, setting the stage for Toronto’s eventual triumph.
Despite Brad Marchand scoring a goal and assisting on another for the Bruins, Boston suffered their fourth consecutive loss. Pastrnak seized a pass from Mason Lohrei early in the game, advancing into the offensive zone and firing a wrist shot past Stolarz for his team-leading 29th goal of the year within the opening 29 seconds.
Pastrnak also played a pivotal role in Marchand’s power-play conversion in the opening frame. With the NHL trade deadline on the horizon, the Bruins’ management faces tough decisions about potential roster movements as they linger on the fringe of a wild card position.
A standout moment came when Marner executed a deft move on a breakaway to outmaneuver Swayman, securing the overtime victory for Toronto. In terms of statistics, Pastrnak has amassed 13 goals and 17 assists during his current point streak, yet remains behind Bronco Horvath’s historic 22-game streak set between December 1959 and February 1960.
Looking ahead, the Maple Leafs will visit the New York Rangers on Friday night, while the Bruins are set to host the New York Islanders on Thursday.
