By Canadian Press

Boston’s Tuukka Rask, Riley Nash step up in Game 4 win over Leafs

Apr 19, 2018 | 10:17 PM

TORONTO — The Boston Bruins didn’t need their all-star centre to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1 in Game 4 of their first-round series.

With Patrice Bergeron out of the lineup with an upper-body injury, Boston still found a way to take a 3-1 series lead by getting solid performances out of the rest of its lineup — including centre Riley Nash.

Nash took Bergeron’s spot up the middle on the top line alongside David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand on Thursday and did enough to make the Bruins forget that their four-time Selke Trophy winner was a late scratch from the lineup.

“Riley did a great job, he’s a smart player, very good defensively,” said Pastrnak, who finished with two assists for 11 points in four playoff games.

“It’s not easy playing with me and (Marchand), especially in the defensive zone.”

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Nash played the second most minutes amongst Bruins forwards in Game 4 with 19:10. Marchand led the way with 20:25.

Tied 1-1 in the second period, Nash won an important defensive zone draw after Boston had iced the puck and was left with a tired group of players on the ice that moments later led to the winning goal.

Defenceman Adam McQuaid took the puck after Nash cleanly won the faceoff and sprung Pastrnak and Marchand on a 2-on-1.

Pastrnak made a crisp pass to Marchand after crossing Toronto’s blue line and he easily beat Toronto goaltender Frederik Andersen for the 2-1 lead.

“You always find the energy for that somehow,” Pastrnak said about finishing the play despite originally thinking line change.

“I was pretty tired though.”

Marchand was surprised that the play even happened, believing that once Nash won the faceoff that it was instantly time to skate to the bench for a rest.

“I kind of hung back, I thought (Pastrnak) was gonna get it in (deep) and I was gonna hold and let them change and get over there but I saw the bounce and luckily it worked out for us.

“Fortunately we got a good bounce to get that 2-on-1 and things like that can turn a game. But it started before that with the draw from (Nash) to the defence getting it out. There were a lot of plays that led up to it.”

Boston netminder Tuukka Rask did his part in the win, stopping 31-of-32 shots including all 20 he faced in the final two periods. Andersen made 18 saves for Toronto.

“On the road you’re gonna need a little extra at some point. We got it. We needed it because early on they were better,” said Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy.

“Every team needs goaltending. Tonight we needed him to dig in and he did.”

Torey Krug opened the scoring for Boston only 28 seconds into the game before Tomas Plekanec responded to make it 1-1 after a period of play.

Rookie Jake DeBrusk added an insurance goal in the third period to help put his team one win away from advancing to the second round.

Captain Zdeno Chara stepped up in Game 4 by shutting down Auston Matthews while playing a game-high 26:43.

“We have a great team and we all know it,” said Pastrnak. 

“Sometimes you have great players and it doesn’t fit together but here I think we’re all a good group of guys and any time someone gets hurt the guy who comes in does a very good job. That’s big for us.”

Boston can take the series Saturday back home at TD Garden. Game 6, if necessary, would be played Monday back at Air Canada Centre.

Kyle Cicerella, The Canadian Press