Matthew Knies marked a significant milestone in his career by recording his first hat trick and contributing two assists as the Toronto Maple Leafs triumphed over the Boston Bruins with a final score of 6-4 on Saturday night. Mitch Marner was a standout performer as well, securing an empty-net goal along with four assists for the Maple Leafs, who have now secured victory in three consecutive games. Auston Matthews, making a return after a six-game absence due to an upper-body injury, made a notable impact by scoring an empty-net goal and providing two assists. Jake McCabe also made a valuable contribution with a goal and an assist, while Joseph Woll showcased his skills by making 27 saves.
For the Bruins, David Pastrnak exhibited his scoring prowess by netting two goals. The team, unfortunately, suffered their third consecutive loss. Morgan Geekie and Trent Frederic also found the back of the net, with Pavel Zacha chipping in with two assists. Jeremy Swayman provided a solid effort in the Bruins’ net, stopping 23 shots throughout the game.
The action kicked off with a fast-paced first period, where Pastrnak came close to scoring with a shot that hit the goal post just 32 seconds into the game. McCabe broke the deadlock at 3:29 of the first period, showcasing his skills with a wrist shot from the left circle off a well-executed pass from Marner.
The second period saw both teams exchanging goals within a span of 12 seconds. Knies made his mark by redirecting a shot from Matthews at 3:37, taking advantage of Boston’s failure to clear the puck and giving Toronto a 2-0 lead. Geekie responded swiftly with an eight-foot wrist shot, capitalizing on a loose puck following Zacha’s attempt off Coyle’s shot.
Boston managed to level the score at 18:44 of the second period. Frederic seized the opportunity after an icing call against Toronto, winning the faceoff and delivering a 21-foot wrist shot from the slot after a pass from McAvoy.
Knies came through once again, showcasing his skill with an eight-foot backhand goal at 3:43 of the third period, assisted by Tavares in a two-on-one situation. Pastrnak wasted no time in responding, tying the game just 34 seconds later with a 34-foot snap shot after stealing the puck from a Maple Leafs player.
Toronto regained the lead when Knies struck again at 5:28 with a high shot that hit the post before finding the back of the net. Matthews played a crucial role in setting up the goal by winning possession at the end boards and making a precise pass into the slot.
Marner put the game out of reach for the Bruins by scoring into an empty net at 17:55 of the third period. However, Pastrnak managed to pull one back for Boston with a 14-foot wrist shot at 18:10.
