National Hockey League
Toronto 2, Boston 1
When: 7:00 PM ET, Friday, April 19, 2019
Where: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Referees: Eric Furlatt, Dan O'Halloran
Linesmen: Steve Barton, Bryan Pancich
Attendance: 17565

Auston Matthews and Kasperi Kapanen tallied in the third period, goaltender Frederik Andersen made 28 saves, and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the host Boston Bruins 2-1 on Friday to take a 3-2 series lead in their Eastern Conference first-round matchup.

With the teams locked in a scoreless Game 5 after two periods, Toronto's Jake Muzzin found himself alone at the blue line, skated to the left circle and dished to Matthews, who one-timed his fourth goal of the playoffs from the right circle's faceoff dot at 11:33.

The play was reviewed for goaltender interference after video showed Zach Hyman backing into Boston netminder Tuukka Rask. But the goal was upheld and Toronto's 1-0 lead stood.

Kapanen, who assisted on Matthews' marker, finished a three-on-two for a two-goal lead at 13:45 by beating Rask, who stopped 25 of 27 shots.

With the Boston net empty, David Krejci scored at 19:16, but Toronto killed the final 44 seconds for the victory with Rask again on the bench for the extra attacker.

The Maple Leafs can get their first playoff series win since 2004 and advance to face the Columbus Blue Jackets in the next round with a victory in Game 6 at 3 p.m. ET Sunday in Toronto.

Boston leveled the series at 2-2 on Wednesday with a 6-4 win in Toronto, and Rask kept the Maple Leafs off the board in the first period when he made a point-blank stop on Hyman with the best chance of the period at 12:25.

The Bruins had the period's only power play when Hyman went off for tripping Charlie McAvoy behind Rask's goal at 17:00, but Andersen and the penalty-kill unit, which had given up five goals in 11 man disadvantages, kept the Bruins at bay.

The Maple Leafs committed two more penalties in the second period -- one by Patrick Marleau for hooking, the other by Mitchell Marner for delay of game after shooting the puck over the glass -- but their much-maligned penalty kill came through again -- and nearly scored during with Marner in the box.

Kapanen forced a turnover and zipped out on a breakaway, but his short-handed attempt went high over Rask at 9:01. Kapanen was again denied by his Finnish countryman in goal in the final minute.

Krejci rang a shot off the pipe at 12:36 of the second, but a quick video review showed the puck bounced off the post and Andersen grabbed it behind him for no goal.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Toronto   Boston
Kasperi Kapanen 2 Points David Krejci 1
Kasperi Kapanen 1 Goals David Krejci 1
Kasperi Kapanen 1 Assists Torey Krug 1
N/A Power Play Goals N/A
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Frederik Andersen .966 Save Percentage Tuukka Rask .926
Frederik Andersen 28 Saves Tuukka Rask 25
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Toronto 27 2 0-1 3-3 6 22
Boston 29 1 0-3 1-1 2 40
Upcoming Games
  • Boston will play their next game on the road against Toronto. The Bruins have a W/L % of .612 after a win and .576 after a loss.
  • Toronto will play their next game at home against Boston. The Maple Leafs have a W/L % of .543 after a win and .583 after a loss.