TORONTO -- The Toronto Maple Leafs leapfrogged the Boston Bruins in the Atlantic Division standings with a 4-3 victory Saturday night at Air Canada Centre. The Leafs' Ron Hainsey scored with 1:23 remaining in regulation en route to the win.
The Maple Leafs are in second place with 83 points, while the Bruins drop to third with 82.
Pregame notes
Defenseman Kevan Miller returns to the lineup as the Boston Bruins face the Toronto Maple Leafs Saturday night at Air Canada Centre. He's missed the last nine games with an upper-body injury. As a result, Adam McQuaid will be a healthy scratch.
Masked men: Tuukka Rask will get the nod against the Maple Leafs, and Anton Khudobin will start against the Sabres on Sunday. Rask is 24-10-4 with a 2.17 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage in 39 games this season. He's 16-6-2 with a 2.06 GAA and a .926 SP in 27 career games against the Maple Leafs. Frederik Andersen will start for Toronto. He's 31-16-4 with a .266 GAA and a .923 SP in 52 games this season. He's 9-1-0 with a 2.00 GAA and a .940 SP in 10 career starts against the Bruins.
No Matthews: The Maple Leafs will be without Auston Matthews, who suffered an apparent shoulder injury on Thursday. According to Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock, Matthews is listed as day-to-day. He has 28 goals and 22 assists for 50 points in 53 games this season.
Special teams: The Bruins haven't been efficient on the power play of late. They're 2-for-26 on the man-advantage in the last eight games. Overall, the Bruins' PP is ranked 14th in the league, while their penalty kill is second. Toronto's PP is 18th in the league, while its PK is fourth.
Observations from he first period.
- Three Maple Leaf players collapsing on Patrice Bergeron in his favorite shooting spot atop the right faceoff circle.
- Toronto getting plenty of traffic in front of Rask on that last shift.
- Sean Kuraly is a beast on the forecheck.
- Brad Marchand gives the Bruins a 1-0 lead. He was wide open in the slot because the Maple Leafs were focusing on Bergeron. Pick your poison.
- Just like that the Maple Leafs respond with excellent puck movement and Mitch Marner finishes to tie the game at 1-1.
- Tim Schaller's ability to chip and chase is impressive.
- David Backes now with David Krejci and Danton Heinen.
- Too-many-men penalty on the Bruins. Terrible communication.
- Toronto capitalizes and gains a 2-1 lead on the power play. That's Nazem Kadri's 22nd of the season.
- The Bruins getting their first power play of the game. They've struggled in this department of late, so let's see if they can clean it up in a timely fashion.
- Another lackluster power play by the Bruins. Completed wasted the final 20 seconds.
- Bergeron's line could reach record minutes tonight.
- Marchand scores his second of the game to tie it at 2-2. Incredible finish on the goal. It all started with a Bergeron stick check.
- Buckle up, folks. It's going to be an awesome final 40 minutes.
- A few tough turnovers to start the second by the Bruins.
- Outstanding net drive by Jake DeBrusk and he finishes with a redirect past Andersen to give the Bruins a 3-2 lead. Nice pass by Ryan Spooner. Cassidy sent the message in the first period and DeBrusk has responded.
- Brandon Carlo is struggling tonight.
- Remember that save by Rask on Tyler Bozak with 14:45 remaining in the period. Huge stop after Toronto creates sustained offensive-zone pressure.
- Kuraly just saved Carlo's backside.
- Bruins need to limit the turnovers in their zone.
- I can't stand that stick slashing call. Zdeno Chara to the box.
- Maple Leafs going on a 5-on-3 for 30 seconds. Chara and Charlie McAvoy in the box.
- That's what happens when you have three defensemen killing a 5-on-4. Maple Leafs tie it at 3-3. Chara came out of the box and was in the forward position to start. He circled back and Miller took the high position. He got caught too high and Maple Leafs capitalize.
- With rumblings that the Bruins are the front-runners in the Rick Nash sweepstakes, DeBrusk needs a big third period. Personally, I would not acquire Nash. He's not always 100 percent committed and that would be a big issues on this team.
- Grzelcyk will focus on getting stronger this offseason and that should help his shot.
- Live coverage is quiet this period as I attempt to track down this possible Nash deal.
- With 1:23 remaining in regulation, the Maple Leafs take a 4-3 lead.