Leafs stage 3rd-period comeback, finish off Bruins in overtime

The Toronto Maple Leafs had plenty to celebrate Tuesday night.

Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau scored a power-play goal with 1:54 left in overtime and Toronto rallied from a two-goal deficit in the third period to beat the Boston Bruins 4-3 and end a four-game skid.

"It felt pretty good," Parenteau said. "There was no better moment to score a goal here tonight."

Parenteau ended the Leafs' drought of 29 straight scoreless power plays and gave Toronto its first win within the Atlantic Division this season.

Toronto hadn't won at all in three weeks, a span that was extended by the All-Star break. The outlook appeared even bleaker when Boston broke a 1-all tie with two goals 26 seconds apart in the opening minutes of the third period.

"It was good to see our guys respond," coach Mike Babcock said. "We had some guys missing tonight and yet we found a way to get it done."

Leo Komarov and Nazem Kadri erased the deficit with consecutive goals midway through the third period.

Daniel Winnik also scored for Toronto, Roman Polak had two assists and James Reimer had 39 saves, including 16 in the third period and two more in OT. Reimer didn't let anything in after Brad Marchand and David Krejci scored 26 seconds apart in the opening minutes of the third period.

"Obviously the start of that third period wasn't too ideal, but that was a character win — being able to come back to fight right through it," Kadri said. "It feels great. That's the way we wanted to start after the All-Star break and I feel like everyone contributed."

The Leafs won for the first time since Jan. 19. Toronto stumbled into the break with an overtime loss, another in a shootout, then two more in regulation. The Leafs were also 0-7-6 in the division before this rally.

Marchand also scored in the first period. Krejci finished with a goal and assist, plus a costly penalty in overtime. David Pastrnak added two assists for the Bruins and Tuukka Rask stopped 31 shots.

"I think when we were up 3-1 we were feeling pretty good," Marchand said. "We had some momentum and obviously with a two-goal lead in the third at home, we should have felt really good. So it's a very disappointing loss."

Powerplay clicked

Toronto was scoreless on two power plays before getting another chance in overtime when Krejci was called for holding 1:48 in. The Leafs capitalized on the 4-on-3 advantage when Parenteau backhanded a rebound after Rask stopped a shot by Kadri.

Kadri tied the game at 3-all 11:31 into the third period, tipping in Matt Hunwick's slap shot from the blue line.

Komarov cut Boston's lead to 3-2 on a goal 9:02 into the third after Rask lost the puck in his pads. There was no whistle before the puck trickled out to Toronto's Michael Grabner, who sent it off the end boards as the Leafs worked it around to Komarov for a wrist shot from the point that beat Rask.

The Leafs regrouped after Boston broke open a 1-all tie early in the third period.

Marchand one-timed in a pass from Krejci 55 seconds into the third, then Krejci struck 1:21 into the period after Torey Krug's shot bounced off the end boards to the front of the net.