Morning After: Comeback Against Boston, All Without Auston

It feels great to wake up after a Leafs win. Even better, perhaps, to wake up after a comeback win against a divisional rival.

Last night, the Leafs took down the Boston Bruins 3-2 in overtime, extending their winning streak against Boston to five straight and extending their current winning streak to 3 games.

After an uneventful first period, it was the Bruins who drew first blood in the second. Brad Marchand, back in the lineup after missing time with a concussion, feeds the puck to his lineman Bergeron, who fired a perfect bullet past Frederik Anderson’s blocker side and into the top corner to put the Bruins up 1-0.

The Bruins’ lead wouldn’t last for long, however. With Rielly Nash in the box for slashing and time winding down in the second period, James van Riemsdyk retrieved the puck along the boards, fed it back to Morgan Rielly, who fired it on net. JVR would snag the rebound with Nazem Kadri driving the net, and their efforts would prove successful. With 15 seconds left in the period, JVR poked the puck past Anton Khudobin to tie the game up 1-1.

A goal that late in the period would prove huge for the Leafs, avoiding having to go into the third period down a goal while also capitalizing on a Power Play that’s struggled of late.

With Josh Leivo serving a penalty for hooking, the Bruins poured the pressure on, storming the Leafs’ goal. After a couple of nice saves by Frederik Andersen, who was having himself yet another strong outing, David Pastrnak, perched at the side of the net, took advantage of a second rebound and put the puck past Andersen for his tenth of the season. With 5:30 to go in the third, the Bruins went up 2-1.

After killing off a late penalty by Jake Gardiner, Frederik Andersen headed to the bench, and the Leafs poured on the pressure. With exactly one minute to go and the extra attacker on the ice, Mitch Marner thread the needle perfectly to James van Riemsdyk, who was poised in front of Anton Khudobin for the perfect tip past the Bruins net-minder. It was his second, and the Leafs’ second goal of the night, tying things up once again as the Leafs erased the Bruins’ second lead of the game. It was a great bounce back effort from two players who have been in need of a clutch performance.

Ladies and gentlemen: Mitchell Marner.

A strong defensive effort in his own ended kicked off this play. Things could have taken a turn for the worse as a drop pass gone awry was snapped up by David Pastrnak, but Mitch Marner stopped up just in time to stymy what could have been a dangerous opportunity for Pastrnak, who looked dangerous all night. Then, heading up the ice, Marner fed a cross-ice pass to Jake Gardiner, who put the puck on net and found Patrick Marleau’s stick. It was a play reminiscent of the tying goal; a sneaky tip pass Anton Khudobin that would win the game for the Leafs, 3-2 in overtime. While not scoring a goal, Mitch Marner was the difference maker on the tying and game-winning goals, and has looked great since stepping up in the shootout against Vegas earlier this week.

The goal would briefly be reviewed to see if Patrick Marleau had entered the zone offside. Thankfully, Marleau was dragging his back skate along the ice as Mitch Marner entered the zone. The goal would stand, and the Leafs would prevail in the first half of their home-and-home.

The Leafs fought back to win a game that they deserved to win. The team was a 52.38 CF% last night, getting back into the positive side of the possession game after being outplayed in their previous two wins.

Jake Gardiner had himself a game, with a 65.22 CF%. Mitch Marner was a 63.16%, too. Players who needed bounce-back games got them, so all is well.

The Leafs are back in action tonight. On the other end, it’s Boston again, this time at TD Garden.