Going into Toronto on Saturday night for their first of three matchups with the Maple Leafs this year, the Boston Bruins were going to be a very shorthanded team. They were already missing Elias Lindholm, who was injured last week against the Buffalo Sabres, and then they were missing three more players, one unsurprising and three that were surprising.
John Beecher made the trip to Toronto, but didn't play after he left Thursday night's overtime win over the Ottawa Senators with an injury. Then, head coach Marco Sturm dropped the news about Charlie McAvoy (personal reasons), and Casey Mittlestadt (injury) also did not travel for the one-game trip.
One thing we have learned about the Bruins this year, expect the unexpected. Down key players, the Black and Gold went to Toronto for their only trip this season and got 30 saves from Jeremy Swayman in a stunning win for their sixth in a row. Here are three takeaways after Boston improved to 10-7-0.
Bruins carried play 5-on-5
If it wasn't for the power plays, the Bruins would have won this game going away. Toronto was 2-for-4 on the power play, and their third goal was scored just seconds after a Michael Eyssimont penalty expired in the first period. Other than that, the Boston outscored them 4-1 at even strength.
The turning point came early after Nicholas Robertson's strike on the man advantage as Morgan Geekie tied the game 18 seconds later. Twenty seconds after that, Viktor Arvidsson scored off a bounce in front of the Maple Leafs' net. It was an impressive performance at even strength for the Black and Gold, down three key players.
Bruins receive a lot of puck luck
After it seemed like every single break was going against the Bruins during their six-game losing streak, it seems like a lot of breaks are going their way on their six-game winning streak. That was the case against Toronto.
In the second period, and the game tied 2-2, Eyssimont had the puck go into the net after he tried stuffing it in from the side, but the referees on the ice waived it off, saying that he pushed the goalie's pad into the net. It went to review, and the situation room in Toronto determined it was a goal. Shortly after, David Pastrnak scored to make it a 3-2 game when the puck somehow found its way into the net under Anthony Stolarz for a 4-2 lead. Much-needed puck luck.
UP TO 3️⃣9️⃣9️⃣ ‼️ pic.twitter.com/ZWhWe51KGz
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) November 9, 2025
Mason Lohrei bounce-back game?
No, McAvoy forced Mason Lohrei into the lineup after missing five straight games. Like others before him, his first game back was a good one. He logged just 14:49 in time on ice, the lowest of the six defensemen, but he picked up two assists, on goals by Geekie and Eyssimont, and had a plus/minus of plus-2.
He had one block, one hit, and a shot on the net. That might not seem much, but for someone who played for the first time in 12 games and on the road against the Maple Leafs, well, it is a lot and a positive night.