TORONTO (AP) – Glen Murray scored twice to help the Boston Bruins end their longest losing streak in eight years with a 5-1 rout over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday night.
Patrice Bergeron, Shawn McEachern and Sergei Samsonov also scored for the Bruins, who ended a six-game slide – their longest since a seven-game skid from March 17 to April 3, 1997.
Owner Jeremy Jacobs called it very disappointing and questioned his team’s desire and worth ethic in a Boston newspaper.
The Bruins responded, outshooting the Maple Leafs 37-20 and ending Toronto’s season-best four-game winning streak.
Darcy Tucker scored for the Maple Leafs, who were booed off the ice.
Toronto goalie Ed Belfour played perhaps his worst game of the season. After skating far out of his net to clear a puck in the second period, he fanned on the pass and ended up sending it right to a Boston player. Bergeron followed with a shot past a crouched Toronto defenseman.
Belfour was later jeered by the home fans when he successfully left his net to clear a puck.
Murray scored twice on the power play in the first period as Boston outshot Toronto 18-4 in the period.
Standing in front of the net, Murray batted the puck out of the air and put it between Belfour’s legs at 3:03 of the first. He scored his 12th goal of season at 8:16 with a shot from in front.
Bergeron made it 3-0 at 4:21 of the second after Belfour’s miscue.
After a Toronto turnover, McEachern made it 4-0 at 6:08 of the second.
by skating in on a 2-on-1 and beating Belfour with a high wrist shot.
Fans booed the Maple Leafs off the ice at the end of the second period and after the final buzzer.
Tucker cut it to 4-1 with his eighth goal at 2:39 of the third, but Samsonov made it 5-1 at 11:57 after skating in on a 2-on-1 after a Toronto turnover.
A minute later, Maple Leafs enforcer Tie Domi and Boston’s Andrew Alberts tussled.
Notes: Murray didn’t play in the third after sustaining a mild groin strain. … The Bruins were outscored 24-12 during their losing streak. … Toronto’s Eric Lindros played his 700th career game. … Belfour is two wins short of tying Terry Sawchuk (447) for second on the career list. … The Maple Leafs won their previous two games against Boston.
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