Maple Leafs vs. Bruins results: Score, highlights as Bruins win Game 7, send Maple Leafs home once again

Jackie Spiegel

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Maple Leafs vs. Bruins results: Score, highlights as Bruins win Game 7, send Maple Leafs home once again image

It's one of the most exciting things that can happen in sports — a Game 7 — unless you ask the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Once again, Toronto could not get past the Boston Bruins in a Game 7. It happened in 2013, it happened in 2018 and it happened again in 2019.

While the lopsided 5-1 score may not have been fully indicative of how the Maple Leafs played, the Bruins once again took advantage of mistakes by the Leafs defense. After Frederik Andersen didn't hug the post for Boston's first goal, Marcus Johansson grabbed yet another Game 7 error by Jake Gardiner to give Boston a 2-0 lead. In the third period, Sean Kuraly went right around Toronto's top pair of Ron Hainsey and Morgan Rielly and gave the Bruins a much-needed insurance goal. 

John Tavares scored the lone Leafs goal, his second of the postseason. Some of the Leafs' other top players, including Auston Matthews, struggled to break through against netminder Tuukka Rask. It also didn't help Toronto that its special teams once again failed — the Leafs went 0 for 2 on the power play 

The Maple Leafs will have the summer to reflect as they once again failed to get out of the first round of the playoffs. The last time they advanced? The 2004 postseason. Not a good look for an Original Six team and the last Canadian team to bow out of this year's playoffs.

Sporting News tracked scores and highlights from Game 7 between the Maple Leafs and Bruins. 

Maple Leafs vs. Bruins: Recap, highlights

Final score — Bruins 5, Maple Leafs 1

9:35 p.m. — Three stars of the game: 3. Joakim Nordstrom; 2. Sean Kuraly;1 Tuukka Rask.

9:33 p.m. — One of the best parts of hockey, the handshakes at the end of a series. 

Third period — Bruins 5, Maple Leafs 1

Shots: Bruins 32 Maple Leafs 33

9:33 p.m. — A little meetup at the horn before coaches shake hands.

9:33 p.m. — GOAL. Bergeron adds an empty-netter with one second remaining. Bruins lead 5-1.

9:32 p.m. — One minute left and the Leafs need three. Needless to say, Toronto's season is done. 

9:28 p.m. — GOAL. The dagger as Charlie Coyle scores the empty-netter. Bruins lead 4-1.

9:27 p.m. — Leafs pull Andersen with three minutes remaining.

9:27 p.m. — Leafs come close as the puck goes off the skate of Chara and off the post.

9:27 p.m. — Nylander's line with some good pressure but again, kept to the outside.

9:25 p.m. — Leafs kept to the perimeter and can't get anyone to the slot for a rebound or pressure on Rask.

9:22 p.m. — Eight minutes remaining on the Maple Leafs' season. Can they tie it up or will it be the third time Boston wins a Game 7 matchup?

9:16 p.m. — Crowd serenading Andersen again.

9:09 p.m. — Sloppy change by the Bruins as they are called for too many men. Leafs head to the power play and are 0-for-1 thus far.

9:09 p.m. — Great tricky snapshot by Tavares stopped by Rask.

9:04 p.m. — GOAL. Sean Kuraly gets past the Leafs' defense and then snaps it past Andersen. Bruins lead 3-1.

9:01 p.m. — Puck drop. Third period is a go.

Second period — Bruins 2, Maple Leafs 1

Shots: Bruins 19, Maple Leafs 25

8:43 p.m. — As the horn sounds, a little pushing and shoving at the Leafs' bench, where a linesman holds back Marchand.

8:38 p.m. — Brad Stevens is there cheering for the Bruins, Justin Bieber for the Leafs. No Drake sighting.

8:29 p.m. — Tyler Ennis skates in and is stoned by the blocker of Rask. Starts the Leafs swarming but they can't get one past the Bruins netminder.

8:24 p.m. —  A disappointing two shots on goal during the man advantage for Toronto.

8:21 p.m. — We have our first power play as Carlo is called for cross-checking.

8:19 p.m. — Heinen point shot stopped and then Marchand is just absolutely robbed by Andersen. 

8:16 p.m — Nylander backhand scoring chance is knocked away by the chest protector by Rask.

8:15 p.m. — Matthews' line comes out firing, and off a giveaway and some fancy passing, Matthews just misses a goal from the slot while falling down. Could this be the year the Leafs come back?

8:13 p.m. — GOAL. Turnover in the Bruins' end. John Tavares gets the loose puck and fires it past Rask's blocker. Bruins lead 2-1.

8:11 p.m. — Now the Bruins control the play as the Leafs are just standing around. They don't get a quality scoring chance, though.

8:09 p.m. — Leafs come out strong and Marner's between-the-legs redirect is denied.

8:08 p.m. — Period No. 2 is underway

First period — Bruins 2, Maple Leafs 0

Shots: Bruins 11, Maple Leafs 12

7:49 p.m. — With time winding down Andersen makes a key toe save.

7:48 p.m. — Fans serenading "Andersen" and then turn to '"Tuuu" when Rask stops John Tavares.

7:46 p.m. — GOAL. Jake Gardiner with a reverse ... to a Bruin ... as Marcus Johansson skates out and fires it off the blocker of Andersen.  2-0 Bruins.

7:38 p.m. — GOAL.  Joakim Nordstrom from the goal line finds the tiniest bit of daylight as Andersen doesn't hug the post. 1-0 Bruins.

7:34 p.m. — Carlo and Connor Brown exchange hellos after the whistle.

7:31 p.m. — Both teams playing a cautious game right now.

7:26 p.m. — William Nylander redirect goes just wide as the Leafs are getting chances.

7:23 p.m. — Rask stones Marner on back-to-back shots from the slot.

7:20 p.m. — Trevor Moore — and the linesman — crushed by Torey Krug in front of the Leafs bench.

7:16 p.m. — Auston Matthews in the slot is stoned by Rask. The best scoring chance for either team.

7:15 p.m. — Leafs' line of Tavares, Hyman and Marner does a good job of controlling the puck deep in Bruins territory.

7:12 p.m. — Bruins come out strong and Brandon Carlo with two shots on goal (one deflected) early on.

7:10 p.m. — Puck drop! Game on!

7:10 p.m. — Frederik Andersen (0-3 in Game 7s) vs. Tuukka Rask (2-2).

Pregame

7:06 p.m. — Anthems.

7:04 p.m. — Fire vs. fire.

7:01 p.m. — Your banner people.

6:45 p.m. — Line rushes.

6:40 p.m. —  Friendly reminder that Marleau (2), Kapanen, Demott, Bergeron (1), Marchand (1), DeBrusk (2), Pastrnak and Heinen all scored in 2018's Game 7. Two of Bergeron's other goals were in 2013 vs. the Leafs.

6:30 p.m. — Warmups have begun:

6:23 p.m. — Fair to say, the ice will be on point tonight.

Related news links

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Brad Marchand saves Bruins' season, criticizes TD Garden ice ahead of Game 7

Maple Leafs must end 68-year drought to top Bruins in Game 7

Frederik Andersen keeps Leafs in game with unbelievable glove save

Goaltenders react to controversial interference call in Maple Leafs-Bruins

Should Maple Leafs have been called for interference on go-ahead goal?

Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews continues stellar postseason in Game 5 win

Jackie Spiegel