Watch: Max Domi and Charlie McAvoy spark intense Maple Leafs vs Bruins tussle in 4-1 outing

By ARJUN B

Modified Mar 08, 2024 15:16 GMT

The Boston Bruins defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1 on Thursday night, making it 4-0 against their likely first-round playoff opponents this season.

But the intensity of a potential postseason series was on full display when Max Domi of the Maple Leafs and Charlie McAvoy of the Bruins sparked an intense tussle in the third period.

Watch the video here:

Max Domi and Charlie McAvoy get into it and a scrum ensues. byu/GreenSnakes_ inhockey

Max Domi and McAvoy exchanged slashes before dropping the gloves at 18:29 of the third. The brief fight ended with Domi getting McAvoy in a headlock and tackling him to the ice. But the action didn't stop there, as several other players paired off and a scrum ensued.

Throughout the game, the Maple Leafs and Bruins accumulated 50 penalty minutes each, showcasing their competition and rivalry on the ice.

“Whenever Toronto plays Boston, it’s going to be a war out there,” said Maple Leafs forward Max Domi.

“Obviously the score was a little bit different than I think the game should have been, but we hung in there and we kind of made a pact in the locker room; no matter what happens, we’re going to stick together, and that was one of the positives we can take out of tonight.” Domi added.

The Maple Leafs next face the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday at Centre Bell.

Boston Bruins 4-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs

At 5:37 in the first period, David Pastrnak gave the home team a 1-0 lead, assisted by Jake DeBrusk in the faceoff circle.

Moving into the second period, Trent Frederic intercepted William Nylander's pass at Boston’s blue line and converted it into a breakaway goal at 4:16, increasing the Bruins's advantage to 2-0.

Mitch Marner netted a power play goal to narrow the Bruins lead to 2-1 following an error from Boston. This marked the only goal for the Maple Leafs in this contest.

The Bruins then notched two goals in succession during the second period. Morgan Geekie capitalized on another power play opportunity, restoring their lead to 3-1. Brandon Carlo later scored at 18:23, sealing a 4-1 victory for Boston.

Brad Marchand and DeBrusk each contributed two points in this matchup. Jeremy Swayman made 28 saves, while Joseph Woll blocked 22 shots for the Maple Leafs.

The Bruins will next face the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday at TD Garden.