In Boston, the Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews snapped a 2-2 , at 12:06 of the third period to give Toronto a 3-2 lead they would protect for the win. 
“Loved our resolve tonight,” Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe said. “… There’s some things kind of piling up that weren’t really going our way, but the guys stayed with it. So great effort here on the road tonight, and really good team win.”
Matthews scored off a breakaway.
“It’s all about just trying to get to the net,” Matthews said. “It’s a battle at the net fronts out there, and I guess on the goal, [it was] just a flip out of the zone and just try to anticipate and time it well.”
Ilya Samsonov made 27 saves in the win.
With the victory, Toronto tied the series with the Bruins at 1-1.
Game 3 is set for the Maple Leafs’ home ice on Wednesday.
“I don’t think our urgency was where it needed to be to prevail tonight,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said. “I didn’t think puck management was a detriment to us, I just didn’t think we won enough wall battles to get out of our end successfully.”
Boston took a 1-0 lead midway through the first period.
Morgan Geekie staked the Bruins to the early lead when he scored off the power play 10:18.
“I think we were being pretty hard on ourselves and not giving ourselves enough credit for how good we’ve been [on the power play] most of the year,” Geekie said. “So it’s nice to see pucks go in, both units, so we’re just trying to go out there and capitalize on those.”
Toro0nto replied with a strike by Max Max just 14 seconds later off the ensuing face off at center ice. at 10:32, hitting off a rebound.
David Pastrnak pushed the Bruins back in front, 2-1, with eight seconds left in the opening stanza.
“I kind of felt it as soon as I moved the puck to the seam,” Pastrnak said. “I felt that I was able to spin off both [defenders], so how I said, [heck] of a play by ‘Pav’ recognizing that I did that and was wide open.”
In the middle frame, Toronto got even, 2-2 on a marker form John Tavares off the power play at 18:26.
“[Matthews is] just world class, everything he does,” Tavares said “And I think when you see the drive every single day, and the passion for the game, and wanting to be such a difference-maker night in, night out — and certainly at this time of year — having a night like he did was massive for our group. Puts us back on level terms going home, so big win for us and he certainly led the way.”
Linus Ullmark made 30 saves in the loss.
“There’s some things to clean up, definitely,” Ullmark said. “But it’s a long series and now it’s all about recharging. The sun will come up tomorrow as well. We go to Toronto and duke it out once again.”
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