Bruins' stars shine brightest in Game 4 to push Maple Leafs to the brink of elimination - The Boston Globe

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Van Riemsdyk scored Boston's first goal and the Bruins never looked back, pinning a 3-1 loss on the staggering Maple Leafs to take a 3-1 lead in this first-round Stanley Cup final series.

"Anytime in the playoffs it's always, obviously, these rivalry games like this are so much fun to play in and the extra juice that you get in the playoffs makes the atmosphere that much better," said van Riemsdyk. "So, obviously to get a goal and a winning effort always is a lot of fun."

Van Riemsdyk started the play, chipping the puck out from behind the net, where Toronto's Ryan Reaves fumbled it. Mason Lohrei pinched and pounced, shoveling the loose puck back to van Riemsdyk, who went forehand-backhand to beat Ilya Samsonov for a 1-0 lead.

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"I thought he played really well in Game 3, and I thought he just continued that," Jim Montgomery said of van Riemsdyk. "You can see the confidence coming and when he makes a play like he did there, there's not a lot of people that make those kinds of poised plays. That's why he has so many goals in his career."

Goals have been hard to come for van Riemsdyk, who battled a lengthy illness over the second half of the season, which sapped his strength and cost him playing time. He last scored Feb. 17.

"Definitely towards the second half of the year I felt a little snake bit at times," he said. "I like to think I was saving 'em for maybe these times in the playoffs, so I'll definitely take it if that was the trade-off."

Van Riemsdyk's goal had a negative effect not just on the fans, but on the Maple Leafs, as well.

Sheldon Keefe's club lacked the requisite fight over the first 40 minutes, falling behind, 3-0, before finally showing some spark.

As the Bruin defenders were doing their thing, Max Domi did his thing — which is take undisciplined penalties.

The Maple Leafs' chief agitator landed an ill-advised cross-check on David Pastrnak, who was engaged in a wall battle.

The Bruins made it sting, with Marchand scoring his third goal in two games.

Charlie Coyle collected a loose puck and circled a backhand pass to Charlie McAvoy, who hit Marchand on the left wing and the Boston captain sizzled one past Samsonov, who was at the top of his crease and left a gaping opening.

With Leafs sniping at each other on the bench, the Bruins sniped another goal before the end of the period.

Pavel Zacha pushed the puck into the Toronto zone while getting crushed at center ice and Marchand beat TJ Brodie to the puck to set up a two-on-none and he slid it to Pastrnak, who buried it for a 3-0 lead after two periods.

"We've done a tremendous job on Pastrnak this series," said Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe. "We lost our structure there."