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In spite of a stellar performance by goaltender James Reimer, the Toronto Maple Leafs were unable to play the role of spoiler in Boston, as nemesis Patrice Bergeron tallied in regulation and converted in the shootout to give the Boston Bruins a 2-1 victory at TD Garden on Saturday night.
Bergeron, the game-winning goal scorer in Boston’s infamous Game 7 playoff comeback almost two years ago, scored his 22nd goal of the season 19 seconds into the middle frame, but the Bruins could not beat a red-hot Reimer, who had won two straight entering the game and made 49 saves on the evening.
The Leafs could not generate many scoring chances on Tuukka Rask and scored their only goal on a Morgan Rielly shot that deflected off of James van Riemsdyk and directed into the Boston goal when defenseman Adam McQuaid tried to clear the loose puck.
The race for an Eastern Conference playoff spot remained relatively status quo, as Detroit and Boston won in shootouts and Ottawa recovered from blowing a 3-0 lead to Washington to win 4-3 in overtime on a Kyle Turris breakaway goal.
The Senators trail Boston and the falling Pittsburgh Penguins by three points in the wild card race and will use their game in hand at Air Canada Center on Sunday, where they surrendered a two-goal third period lead and lost in overtime to Toronto just eight days ago.
While Boston has stepped up in the last two weeks with five straight wins, Pittsburgh could be the team that the Sens have a chance to catch, as the Pens have been going the wrong direction since the loss of defenseman Kris Letang to a severe concussion.
Ottawa will start goalie Andrew Hammond on back-to-back nights, as the surprising 27-year-old rookie earned his 17th victory in 19 starts on Saturday. Leafs interim head coach Peter Horachek will go with Jonathan Bernier, who has lost seven straight games, including the 4-3 loss to Buffalo on Wednesday.
Toronto will be without center Trevor Smith, who left Saturday’s game in the first period after colliding with defenseman Zdeno Chara. Smith suffered a cut from his visor, but was sent to a Boston-area hospital for precautionary reasons.
It is likely that Peter Holland will take Smith’s spot in the lineup against Ottawa, who has been out with an upper body injury since March 13th
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McEichel Race – Points(Games Played)
8. COLUMBUS 82(78), 7. PHILADELPHIA 80(78), 6. NEW JERSEY 77(79), 5. CAROLINA 69(78), 4. TORONTO 65(79), 3. EDMONTON 59(79), 2. ARIZONA 56(79), 1. BUFFALO 52(79)
Current Leafs odds at winning Draft Lottery(9.5%) Same
With three games remaining on their schedule, Toronto can lock up the fourth draft slot with a loss to Ottawa and Carolina earning a point in their remaining four games. The Hurricanes won 3-2 in Philadelphia on Saturday and will have two games in hand on Toronto when they face the Sabres in Buffalo on Monday.
******* The Toronto Marlies did not fare well on Saturday in their pursuit of an AHL Western Conference playoff spot, as they lost 7-2 on the road to the Grand Rapids Griffins.
After falling behind 2-0 in the second period, Ryan Rupert and William Nylander scored for the Marlies to narrow the lead to 3-2, but Grand Rapids scored four past goalie Christopher Gibson in the third period.
Toronto trails Chicago and Milwaukee by four points and Hamilton by one point in the race for the final two playoff spots and play their final home games at Ricoh Coliseum against Adirondack and Rochester this week, before finishing the season with four road games.
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