Brad Marchand scored the go-ahead goal with 8:07 remaining in the third period, lifting the visiting Boston Bruins to a 4-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.

The Bruins lead the best-of-seven series 2-1.

Marchand sealed the win by scoring into an empty net with 36 seconds left in the third. The Boston captain has 55 career goals in the playoffs, tying Hall of Famer and current team president Cam Neely for the most in franchise history.

Marchand notched an assist on Jake DeBrusk’s third power-play goal of the series. Trent Frederic also scored and Jeremy Swayman made 28 saves for the Bruins, who rebounded from a 3-2 setback in Game 2.

“He’s a stud. He played incredible tonight, especially at the end,” Marchand told Sportsnet on Wednesday, referring to Swayman. “They made a couple really big pushes and he was there to answer the bell. Love his confidence right now. He has that swag and he’s (showing) it.”

Game 4 is Saturday in Toronto.

Toronto’s Matthew Knies and Tyler Bertuzzi each scored a goal and Mitch Marner had an assist to notch his first point of the series. Ilya Samsonov turned aside 30 shots for the Maple Leafs.

Toronto tied the score 2-2 at 11:25 of the third period after defenseman Morgan Rielly’s shot deflected off two Bruins and Bertuzzi and went into the net. Boston responded 28 seconds later, as Marchand’s wrist shot from the right circle sailed over the left shoulder of Samsonov.

“He obviously wants to get under our skin and influence the refs,” Knies said of Marchand. “I just think we need to be composed and not kinda get into that (expletive).”

DeBrusk, who scored twice with the man advantage in 80 games during the regular season, gave Boston a 2-1 lead at 1:07 of the third period. He deftly used his skate to kick the puck to his stick and clean up the rebound after a shot from Marchand.

“A lot of guys stepped up,” DeBrusk told NESN. “A lot of guys made some plays and took some hits. That’s what you need in the playoffs.”

Marner found Knies on the left doorstep for a tap-in goal as Toronto opened the scoring with 6:50 remaining in the second period.

Boston leveled the contest at 1-1 with 2:23 remaining in the second period after Frederic fired a shot from the left circle that sailed under Samsonov’s blocker and inside the near post for his second goal of the series.

–Field Level Media