Dougie Hamilton Propels Boston Bruins Past Toronto Maple Leafs

Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

4. 70. Final. 1. 116

Playing in their first game without captain Zdeno Chara, the Boston Bruins outplayed the Toronto Maple Leafs in all facets of the game. Youngster Dougie Hamilton stepped up to spark the shorthanded team. An offensive outbreak, coupled with a complete team effort on the defensive side of the ice, led to a 4-1 win on Saturday night at Air Canada Center.

Boston’s top defensive pairing of Dennis Seidenberg and Hamilton stifled Phil Kessel and the Leafs offensive attack. Hamilton also chipped in offensively as he tied a career-high with three points, including a breakaway goal in the third. Tuukka Rask stood tall in net. He turned aside 32 shots.

Carl Soderberg (3) opened up the scoring for the Bruins at 3:27 of the first period with a power play marker. Patrice Bergeron notched his 500th career point as he picked up the primary assist on the goal. David Krejci (3) made it 2-0 Bruins in the second. Boston’s top-line playmaker rifled home the biscuit as he took a check to the ice in front of the Toronto cage.

In the third, Gregory Campbell (2) struck while on the penalty kill. Daniel Paille’s crafty net-front feed set up the score that made it 3-0 at 2:32 of the final frame. Hamilton (2) added another goal less than two minutes later. Boston’s young defensive stud blew by Toronto’s defenders and rocketed a wrister past Jonathan Bernier to make it 4-0. Bernier was then pulled in favor of James Reimer.

Richard Panik scored the lone goal for the Leafs at 14:27 of third.

Without Chara, the Bruins came together as a team and locked down the neutral zone. As a result of their defensive efforts, the Leafs struggled to generate chances in the early going. The game was already in hand before the Leafs could make a comeback attempt.

The Bruins won the battle in the face-off circle, 41-27. They also killed off all three penalties they faced. In victory, the the Bruins improved to 5-5 on the season and 1-0 without Chara.