Gustavsson makes 25 saves for first NHL shutout, Leafs beat Bruins 2-0

Maple Leafs’ Gustavsson shuts out Bruins

TORONTO — Jonas Gustavsson made 25 saves for his first NHL shutout, helping the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Boston Bruins 2-0 on Saturday night in his first start since having minor heart surgery for the second time this season.

Tomas Kaberle and Jason Blake each beat Boston goalie Tuukka Rask, a former Toronto prospect the team infamously dealt to the Bruins at the 2006 entry draft in exchange for goalie Andrew Raycroft. Rask has been stellar this season for the Bruins, causing many Maple Leafs fans to lament the fact he plays for a division rival.

But Gustavsson, a 25-year-old rookie from Sweden signed as a free agent in the summer, did his best to make Toronto fans forget about Rask.

After sitting out for eight games while recovering from his surgery, Gustavsson got his first action Friday night in a 5-2 loss to Buffalo, relieving Vesa Toskala. Gustavsson’s last start came was Dec. 1 against Montreal and he hadn’t allowed a goal when he had to leave the game after one period because of an accelerated heartbeat.

Toronto (13-16-7) snapped a two-game losing skid and also ended a seven-game losing stretch against the Bruins (16-10-7) that dated to the beginning of last season.

Boston is winless in four games.

Gustavsson, though not overly busy, made a couple key saves in the second period to protect a one-goal lead. First, he denied Byron Bitz on a breakaway from close in after David Krecji hit Bitz with a nice pass from the half-boards. Gustavsson moved quickly to his left, squared up to the shooter and stopped Bitz point blank.

Then, with Boston trying to tie it on a power play, Gustavsson shot out his right leg to stop a low, hard shot from Zdeno Chara.

As for Rask, he allowed a rare soft goal early in the second period when Kaberle beat him with a weak shot from the top of the circle that squeezed through on the short side. Toronto clung to that narrow one-goal lead until Blake wired a shot high over Rask’s glove almost midway through the third.

Things turned a bit nasty in the game’s late stages when Bruins defenseman Johnny Boychuk nailed Toronto’s Matt Stajan with an open-ice hit that did not draw a penalty. It did, however, draw the attention of many of Stajan’s teammates, who quickly came to his defense. After initially laying motionless, Stajan shook off the hit and returned to the game.

NOTES: One night after scoring his first NHL goal, Leafs rookie Viktor Stalberg took a high stick from Boston’s Blake Wheeler in the second period. He returned for a shift in the third period wearing a full cage. … Former Bruin Phil Kessel still doesn’t have a point against his old team in three games this season. … Defenseman Adam McQuaid played his first NHL game for the Bruins.