The Boston Bruins took a small place in NHL history on Thursday night, with a 3-2 shootout victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Thus, the Bruins (9-0-1) became the third team in history to start two seasons in a row with nine victories in their first ten games. They therefore joined the Montreal Canadiens (2015 and 2016) as well as the Ottawa Senators (1926 and 1927), who had also achieved this feat.
The Bruins also remain undefeated in regulation this season after 10 outings. They are the only team alongside the Vegas Golden Knights not to have lost in regulation in 2023-2024.
In the Maple Leafs camp, the team lost in a third game in a row.
William Nylander, however, was able to collect a point in a 10th straight game to start the season. He therefore improved his own record in the history of the organization.
The Maple Leafs lost the services of Timothy Liljegren after dangerous contact with Brad Marchand. After the match, Sheldon Keefe said he was going to be out for a while.
Pavel Zacha and Jake DeBrusk scored in regulation for the Bruins. DeBrusk also scored in the shootout, as did teammate Charlie Coyle. Jeremy Swayman stopped 33 shots to earn his fifth victory in as many games this season.
The Maple Leafs’ goals were the work of Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews.
The Bruins were the first to score at the end of the first period. With a little over a minute to play, Zacha was forgotten at the top of the slot and he took advantage of a nice throw from Brandon Carlo to open the scoring.
Boston came back as soon as they returned from the locker room to double their lead. DeBrusk first sent Brad Marchand alone in front of the goalkeeper, but the latter was stopped by Ilya Samsonov. DeBrusk, however, jumped on the return shot to make it 2-0 with his first goal of the season.
But the Leafs used their big guns to come back on track before the end of the middle period. Powered by Auston Matthews entering the zone, Mitch Marner first made a nice feint, before scoring with a wrist shot. Nylander got his assist on the sequence.
Then just 63 seconds later, Matthews fired a one-timer from the top of the slot to tie the game 2-2 with his eighth goal of the season.
In the shootout, DeBrusk and Coyle scored, while Swayman frustrated Nylander and Matthews to secure the victory.
Separately, it appears that defender Charlie McAvoy will appeal his four-game suspension. At least that’s what the network’s Frank Seravalli said Daily Faceoff.
McAvoy was suspended due to dangerous contact to the head from defender Oliver Ekman-Larsson on Monday evening.
