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Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares praised netminder Ilya Samsonov after his impressive 27-game performance in Game 2 against the Boston Bruins on Monday night.
Samsonov stepped up for the Maple Leafs and made some great saves in Game 2, showing more confidence between the pipes than in Game 1. He made 27 saves on 29 shots in the matchup and ended the night with a .931 save percentage.
This performance by Samsonov was crucial in securing a 3-2 win for the Toronto Maple Leafs and tying the seven-game series 1-1 against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden.
Tavares expressed his admiration for Samsonov, highlighting his importance to the team and his positive impact in the locker room.
Despite facing challenges, John Tavares noted Ilya Samsonov's perseverance and determination, which contributed to the team's performance in the game (via David Alter on X):
"We love him and he's a big part of our locker room. So I think it just adds into our belief in him and I think the way we care for one another and certainly being the backbone between the pipes and how he's been able to battle and stay with it and compete.
"I think as a teammate, you admire that and you appreciate that and certainly respect the hell out of it. He's battled hard all year, which hasn't been the way you'd draw it up, but you just keep putting your head down and going forward. It's kind of the way our game was tonight," Tavares added.
The Toronto will host the Bruins at their home in Scotiabank Arena for Game 3 on Wednesday. The puck drops at 7:00 p.m. ET.
How John Tavares and Maple Leafs took down Bruins in Game 2
Morgan Geekie put the Bruins up 1-0 after converting Brad Marchand's assist into the back of the net for a powerplay goal at 10:18 of the first period.
Just 14 seconds later, Max Domi slotted his own rebound into the back of the post to tie 1-1 for the Maple Leafs. With less than eight seconds remaining in the first period, David Pastrnak restored Boston's lead to 2-1.
Captain John Tavares made it 2-2 on the powerplay at 18:26 before Auston Matthews' goal ensured the 3-2 win for the Maple Leafs. Matthews accumulated three points in the matchup with a goal and two assists on the night.
