Maple Leafs stave off elimination in 2-1 victory over Bruins

The Toronto Maple Leafs staved off elimination in a 2-1 victory in the team's pivotal Game 5 matchup against the Boston Bruins in their first-round playoff series on Tuesday, with Matthew Knies scoring at 2:26 of overtime.

The rookie winger scored after captain John Tavares took the puck hard to the net in the extra period to give the Leafs life.

Jake McCabe had the other goal for Toronto. Joseph Woll, who got the start ahead of llya Samsonov, made 28 saves.

Game 6 goes Thursday in Toronto. Game 7, if necessary, would be back at TD Garden on Saturday.

Trent Frederic replied for Boston, which still leads the best-of-seven series 3-2, but will have the memories of last spring's blown 3-1 advantage against the Florida Panthers in the opening round still fresh in their minds.

Jeremy Swayman stopped 31 shots.

The Leafs were minus star centre Auston Matthews after an illness forced him from the second intermission of Toronto's 3-1 loss on home ice in Game 4. The 26-year-old sniper, who led the NHL with 69 goals in the regular season, made a cameo at Tuesday's optional morning skate, but was unable to suit up alongside his teammates with the group facing elimination.

Woll made his playoff debut last season in Toronto's second-round defeat to Florida with Samsonov out injured. He played a clean third period Saturday that pushed the Leafs to the brink after his crease partner was pulled.

Toronto, which rallied from 3-1 deficits against Boston in 2013 and 2018 before losing in seven games, opened the scoring at 5:33 of the first period inside a nervous TD Garden.

Max Domi won a faceoff after an icing and Mitch Marner fed a puck back to McCabe for him to sift home his first of the series through a screen.

Woll had little to do at