Auston Matthews & John Tavares both score two as Leafs beat Bruins, 5-2

Auston Matthews and John Tavares both scored a pair of goals for the Toronto Maple Leafs in Saturday’s 5-2 win against the Boston Bruins. The win was the fifth straight for the Maple Leafs.

Mitch Marner capped the scoring with an empty-net goal at 19:17 of the third period. Marner finished the game with a goal and three assists. After a slow start, Marner is up to 12 points (3 G, 9 A) in 12 games.

Toronto’s last 13 goals have been scored by their core four forwards – Auston Matthews, John Tavares, William Nylander, and Mitch Marner. When the Maple Leafs went through their early season slump, it was conspicuous that their top players were not producing. That has changed dramatically.

Toronto goaltender Jack Campbell was impressive once again, turning aside 41 of 43 shots for the win.

BRUINS SCORE FIRST

Boston’s Taylor Hall opened the scoring on the power play at 8:37 of the first period. He deflected a Patrice Bergeron shot past Jack Campbell for his third goal of the season.

John Tavares scored a tying goal at 12:21 of the first period. After Mitch Marner had a give-and-go with Morgan Rielly, Marner’s point-blank slot shot hit John Tavares’ stick as Patrice Bergeron knocked the Bruins net off its moorings. There was a lengthy review but it was ultimately ruled a goal.

Auston Matthews scored a power play goal at 14:58 of the second period to give the Maple Leafs a 2-1 lead. A pass from Mitch Marner went off Matthews’ skate but the puck rebounded off the pad of Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark and Matthews lifted the puck over the Bruins netminder. Matthews followed up with a power play goal at 18:54 of the second period, one-timing a slap shot from the right-wing circle past Ullmark. Matthews now has five goals on the season.

Tavares scored his second goal of the game at 2:54 of the third period, giving Toronto a 4-1 lead. His sixth goal of the season came as he buried a rebound in tight after gaining inside position on Bruins defenceman Mike Reilly.

David Pastrnak scored this third goal of the season at 8:29 of the third period. Pastrnak unloaded a one-time blast from the left-wing circle off a feed from Brad Marchand. That made the score 4-2 for Toronto and did give the Bruins some life.

The Bruins did put pressure on later in the third period, attempting to rally. Erik Haula had a shot that went off Campbell and off the post with less than six minutes left in the third period.

CLOSE CALLS EARLY

Patrice Bergeron made a big save early in the first period, covering for a diving Linus Ullmark on Morgan Rielly’s scoring attempt.

John Tavares and Mitch Marner were both foiled by Ullmark on high-danger chances midway through the second period. But the Maple Leafs kept pushing offensively and the Bruins could not keep them under wraps.

Ullmark allowed four goals on 35 shots. The Bruins drop to 5-4 on the season, including a 1-4 record on the road.

Toronto is now 7-4-1 and will host Los Angeles Monday for the last game of their five-game homestand.

Quotes and takeaways to come shortly.

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