Mar. 3, 1963 - The Bruins disappointed a capacity gathering of 13,909 tonight at Boston Garden by succumbing to the Toronto Maple Leafs, 6-3. The big crowd jammed the hall in response to the recent spurt in which the Bostonians had lost only 3 times in 12 starts, but they were in for a relatively early letdown. Led by big Frank Mahovlich, who connected for his 33rd goal and assisted on 2 others, the Leafs ran away to a 5-1 lead in the earlier part of the third period. Then, the Stanley Cup holders stifled an encouraging but obviously futile rally which forced goaltender Johnny Bower (pictured) to make 17 stops in the final session. Dave Keon accounted for two of the Toronto goals. The others, besides the one by Mahovlich, were the handiwork of Rod Stewart, Carl Brewer, and George Armstrong. Forbes Kennedy made the game's first goal for the B's with an assist from Charley Burns, but Toronto had 5 on the board before little Guy Gendron was able to respond with a pair for Boston, bringing G.G.'s total to 20. The backbreaker was the fourth Toronto score, by All-Star defenseman Brewer, who started this game on a forward line. Carl set the long-distance record of the season at the Garden when he flipped a shot from between the red and blue lines — a distance of about 70 feet — with the puck taking a funny hop into the net behind Ed Johnston, who had moved well out.
Comments