The Boston Bruins claimed a decisive 5-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs in the opening game of their first-round playoff series, showcasing strong defensive play and capitalizing on key opportunities.

The game started with Bruins rookie Jonny Beecher making an immediate impact by scoring on his first postseason shot, giving Boston an early 1-0 lead. The Maple Leafs, missing William Nylander due to injury, attempted to set a physical tone but were unable to disrupt the Bruins' momentum.

In the second period, Toronto's Auston Matthews, the NHL's top goal-scorer this season, had a golden opportunity to equalize when he got past Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman but hit the post with his shot. This missed chance proved pivotal as the Bruins capitalized with goals from Brandon Carlo and Jake DeBrusk, extending their lead to 3-0.

Despite Toronto's David Kampf scoring early in the third period to narrow the deficit to 3-1, the Bruins maintained control of the game. Jake DeBrusk added another power-play goal to make it 4-1, and Trent Frederic sealed the victory with an empty-netter.

Bruins coach Jim Montgomery praised Swayman's performance in goal and hinted at the possibility of starting Linus Ullmark in Game 2, following the team's regular-season rotation.

The Maple Leafs, eager to end their Stanley Cup drought, face a tough challenge against the Bruins, a historic rival whom they haven't defeated in playoff series since 1959. Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe emphasized the importance of minimizing mistakes and taking advantage of scoring opportunities to bounce back in Game 2.

The series continues with Game 2 in Boston on Monday night before shifting to Toronto for Games 3 and 4. The Maple Leafs will need to regroup quickly to overcome their Original Six nemesis and make a deeper postseason run this year.