Leafs' Phil Kessel has his way with Bruins
Toronto sniper posts NHL-best 8th multi-point game
Phil Kessel had his mojo going against the Boston Bruins.
The Leafs' sniper helped end the Bruins' five-game winning streak with a pair of quick-strike goals Wednesday night at Air Canada Centre. Toronto went on to rout Boston 6-1.
Both goals came just beyond the faceoff circle — tallies Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask had no chance on.
On his first goal, Kessel raced down the wing before snapping a picture-perfect shot over the right shoulder of Rask at 6:49 of the opening period.
After 20, it's 1-0 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Leafs?src=hash">#Leafs</a> on this <a href="https://twitter.com/PKessel81">@PKessel81</a> goal <a href="http://t.co/qJdcihHlm5">http://t.co/qJdcihHlm5</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TMLtalk?src=hash">#TMLtalk</a>
—@MapleLeafsIt took exactly 18 seconds of the second for Kessel to give Toronto a 2-0 lead on a carbon-copy goal. The Leafs’ winger fired a similar shot that beat Rask. The difference? The puck sailed over Rask on the glove side.
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TMLtalk?src=hash">#TMLtalk</a> video: Kessel's 2nd goal of the night <a href="http://t.co/AkVA97qLD9">http://t.co/AkVA97qLD9</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Leafs?src=hash">#Leafs</a>
—@MapleLeafsKessel had a chance at a hat trick later in the second, but was denied off a partial breakaway by Niklas Svedberg, who replaced Rask after the Leafs fired four goals past him.
His two goals gives Kessel an NHL-best eight multi-point games this season.