Nikolai Kulemin's goal with 50 seconds left in overtime lifted the Toronto Maple Leafs over the Bruins 4-3 on Tuesday night in Toronto. Michael Ryder tried to make a desperate diving play to shut down the passing lane between Mikhail Grabovski and Kulemin, but in the process Ryder took out his own goalie and Tim Thomas had no chance to make a stop on Kulemin's shot.
Mark Recchi staked the Bruins to a 1-0 lead 2:47 into the game when he cleaned up a rebound in front from a Dennis Seidenberg shot from the point. Both Mark Recchi and Bergeron swatted at the puck in front. Originally, Recchi was given credit for the goal, but the scoring was later changed to Bergeron's goal and then back to Recchi again.
Wayne Primeau erased the Bruins lead when he found the back of the net midway through the second period.
Marc Sturm put home his team-leading 20th goal of the season on a 5 on 3 at 13:48 of the 2nd period to regain the lead for the B's. Mark Recchi tipped Dennis Wideman's shot out of mid-air to make a nice touch pass to Marco Sturm on the door step to give the B's a 2-1 lead.
Carl Gunnarsson's half-slapper from the point tied it up for the Leafs with 1:22 left in the middle period.
Patrice Bergeron made it 3-2 Boston with 16:53 left in the third period after he picked up a loose puck in front and fired a wrister past Jonas Gustavsson.
Just over four minutes later, the newest member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Luca Caputi knotted it up at 3-3. Caputi found the puck on his stick at the goal mouth after Dennis Wideman and Mark Stuart couldn't clear the puck out from in front of Tim Thomas's net.
Nikolai Kulemin get the game-winner for the Leafs with 50 seconds left in overtime after Michael Ryder took out Tim Thomas while trying to make a diving play to get in the pass lane of Mikhail Grabovski's dish to Kulemin.
Notes:
- Jeff Penner was call up from Providence before the game to fill in for Zdeno Chara (day to day with lower body injury). Penner logged 9:17 of ice time and recorded 3 hits in his debut.
- Tim Thomas added some artwork to his mask with a "TT" on the chin.
- With Chara missing tonight's game, Blake Wheeler, Mark Recchi, and Michael Ryder are the Bruins' only remaining Iron Men.
- Tim Thomas made 26 saves, including some big stops late in the game.
- How many times can we see the Bruins lose in overtime or the shootout? You take away all the garbage charity points and the Bruins are a 29-36 hockey team.
- Only the Thrashers, Hurricanes, Lightning, Islanders, Panthers, Blue Jackets, Maple Leafs, and Oilers have less wins than the Bruins. That is not the kind of company you want to keep.
- How can Claude Julien sound so milquetoast during every interview when he is likely fighting to keep his job right now?
- Mark Stuart blocked 8 shots.
- The Bruins will play the Flyers in Philly on Thursday night.