The Boston Bruins, in a game filled with action around the net, fell to the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 last Tuesday.

"[We had] too many breakdowns," said center Patrice Bergeron.

"But also I think we are forcing plays that we shouldn't and sometimes we're not in sync, we're not forcing where all guys go as a whole and together. And obviously, when there's only one guy going, that opens up too many lanes and they're going to eat you alive if you do that, then if you don't, if you aren't on the same page."

After left winger Brad Marchand hit the post within 40 seconds, right winger Jarome Iginla capped a frantic opening with a shot on net that Maple Leafs goalkeeper Jonathan Bernier did well to save.

With the Bruins on the penalty-kill, Marchand delivered the first goal of the night just moments later. Right winger Reilly Smith maneuvered his way into the middle of the ice and slammed a shot right at Bernier. While Bernier had denied Marchand earlier in the game, he was powerless to stop the left wing's rebound that staked Boston to a 1-0 lead just three minutes, 38 seconds into the game.

If the Bruins had any ideas about cruising to an easy win, these were quickly dispelled. In similar fashion to the first goal of the game, the Maple Leafs capitalized on a rebound just 2:14 after the opening tally. Goalkeeper Tuukka Rask initially fought off a slap shot from defenseman Carl Gunnarsson, but fortunately for Toronto, center Tyler Bozak was on the doorstep to knock home the second effort. With less than six minutes on the clock, the game was knotted at 1-1.

Just over 10 minutes in, the Bruins retook the lead amid controversial circumstances. After defenseman Zdeno Chara had his shot tipped over by Bernier, Bergeron corralled the puck behind the net and-despite being behind the goalpost-wrapped his stick around the front of the net and banked it off of Bernier's pads.

Though Bernier protested that the puck had gone in the side of the net, television replays contradicted the goalie's account and the Bruins had a 2-1 advantage.

Once again, though, the Maple Leafs knotted the game up.

With Rask out of position, the puck fell kindly for Bozak, who made no mistake in making it 2-2 with 7:13 left in the period.
With the first period over at 2-2, Toronto grabbed another goal to take the lead midway through the second period. Defenseman Jake Gardiner deflected the puck beyond Rask for a 3-2 advantage for the Maple Leafs at the 7:09 mark.

Exactly a minute into the third period, things got worse for theBruins. Left winger James van Riemsdyk gained the puck of the right side of the ice. He then took advantage of the ample space that the Bruins afforded him and ripped a right-handed shot past Rask to give his team a seemingly unassailable two-goal cushion.

Just when all hope looked lost for Boston, the home team received a lifeline with 10:25 left in regulation. Left winger Daniel Paille fed center Gregory Campbell, who dished it past Reimer to cut the deficit to 4-3.

Despite pulling Rask and hammering a number of shots on net in the final two minutes-Boston ended the night with 41 shots on net-the Bruins were unable to solve Toronto's defense and left the ice with a defeat.

After downing the Dallas Stars 4-2 on Thursday night and falling to the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday afternoon, Boston welcomed the Los Angeles Kings to town last night, and used a pair of goals by Marchand to win 3-2. The Bruins return to action on Saturday in a road match against the Philadelphia Flyers.

                                                                                                                             - Henry Loughlin