Pregame notes
Bruins captain Zdeno Chara, 40, is playing in his 1,400th career NHL game when Boston hosts the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight at TD Garden. He enters the game with 192 goals and 425 assists for 617 points, including a plus-243 rating.
Rookie defenseman Charlie McAvoy returns to the lineup after having a procedure to treat an abnormal heart rhythm on Jan. 22. He's missed the last four games. Overall, he has five goals and 20 assists for 25 points, including a plus-18 in 45 games.
The Bruins recalled forward Austin Czarnik from Providence. He'll be in the lineup and on a line with Sean Kuraly and Frank Vatrano.
Defenseman Kevan Miller (upper body) and forward Noel Acciari (lower body) will not play tonight. Both are listed as day-to-day. Miller was injured late in the second period of Thursday's game against the St. Louis Blues. This will be Acciari's fourth consecutive game he's missed.
Tuukka Rask gets the start against the Maple Leafs. He's 20-8-4 with a 2.12 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage in 33 games (32 starts). He owns a 15-6-2 record, a 2.11 GAA and a .925 SP, along with two shutouts, in 26 career games against the Maple Leafs.
Observations from the third period.
- That was a bad "kneeing" penalty on David Backes. It wasn't even close. It shouldn't have been a penalty at all.
- Rask's puck retention has been crucial the last two months, and he's been spot on again tonight in that category.
- The Bruins have a 23-0-2 record this season when leading after two periods.
- And Boston capitalizes again on the power play, this time Torey Krug with a one-timer blast to give the Bruins a 3-1 lead with 3:13 remaining in the second period.
- Vatrano draws an interference penalty. Boston has a golden opportunity here on this PP.
- Bruins quickly capitalize on the power play when David Pastrnak's bad angle shot slips past Frederik Andersen to give Boston a 2-1 lead.
- Jake DeBrusk flying through the neutral zone and draws a tripping penalty. He's been playing with a lot of confidence.
- Great action at both ends of the ice. This could be your first-round playoff preview.
- Maple Leafs locking out Bergeron from the bumper position on the PP.
- Sean Kuraly keeps his legs moving on the PK and draws a holding penalty. It'll be 4-on-4 for 35 seconds.
- Maple Leafs goalie Andersen sold that interference penalty on Pastrnak.
- Chara was all over the ice on that last shift of the period. Wow.
- Torey Krug's hockey sense is evident tonight. Also, closing his gaps well.
- Bad puck luck on that goal as the Maple Leafs tie it at 1-1 on the power play. McAvoy inadvertently redirected the puck in his own net.
- Brandon Carlo has been called for some tough penalties this season, but that one was just bad. Not even close to the play and he's whistled for interference. Bad timing, especially with a one-goal lead early.
- Patrice Bergeron scores his 22nd goal of the season to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead. Danton Heinen with the assist. Bergeron again from the slot.
- Without Brad Marchand (suspension) in the lineup, it's actually helping build more chemistry between Bergeron and David Pastrnak.