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Boston Bruins coach Jim Montgomery had a night to sleep on his team’s 2-1 overtime loss to Toronto in Game 5 of their first-round Stanley Cup playoff series on Tuesday — and remained in a foul mood about it by Wednesday.

“I’m still pissed off from last night, to be honest,” Montgomery said after the Bruins’ optional practice. “I don’t understand and don’t accept our play last night. I’m going to be pissed off until the puck drops [in Game 6].”

The Bruins entered Tuesday’s game with a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series and could have eliminated the Leafs with a victory on home ice. Instead, Boston is headed back to Toronto for Game 6 on Thursday knowing the Leafs have life again.

Montgomery brought his group in prior to the trip for a meeting where the Bruins went over a lackluster Game 5 performance that included a costly, poor start and a general failure to match the Leafs’ urgency.

Boston allowed Toronto defenseman Jake McCabe to open the scoring in a first period where the Bruins were outshot 11-2. Even though Trent Frederic capitalized on a fortuitous bounce to tie the score at 1-1 through 20 minutes, Boston was on its heels in Game 5 more than they had been throughout the series. Matthew Knies‘ overtime winner just 2:26 into the extra frame was a dagger Montgomery couldn’t shake.

“We wanted to review the game and where we went wrong,” said Montgomery. “We started talking about where we need to get better. Some of that’s physical. Some of it is mental. Some of it is staying in the moment. I don’t think we did a good enough job staying in the moment last night. That’s what we’re looking for [in our] next game.”

Montgomery also took heat for altering his lineup in Game 5. Rather than sticking with what previously worked, Montgomery inserted Matt Grzelcyk for Kevin Shattenkirk on the blue line — and watched Grzelcyk be victimized by John Tavares‘ foot speed setting up Knies’ winner in overtime.

“There are a lot of discussions that go on, but in the end, I end up making decisions that I was really confident were best for the Boston Bruins,” said Montgomery. “And when it doesn’t work out, I understand it’ll be second-guessed and third-guessed and fourth-guessed. I understand that it comes with the territory. Just like when you make changes, and it works out. It’s the same thing. But I’m comfortable with the decisions I made and why I made them, and the criticism that comes with it.”

The Bruins’ missed opportunity to polish off the Leafs puts them in uncomfortably familiar territory. Last spring, Boston was the league’s reigning Presidents Trophy winner and jumped out to a 3-1 series lead over the eighth-seeded Florida Panthers. The Bruins failed to close out the Panthers in three straight tries and unraveled entirely with a stunning first-round playoff exit.

Boston has done well this time around as the road team, taking both Game 3 and 4 in Toronto that put the Leafs on the ropes. Toronto has lost six consecutive postseason games on home ice and was booed by its own crowd after a dismal two-period effort in Game 4 on Saturday. A seventh consecutive defeat in their building on Thursday would spell the end of another disappointing Leafs postseason.

That’s why Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe stressed the importance of his team keeping Thursday’s game in perspective, focusing on what they could build from rather than worrying about the venue.

“Quite honestly, [being home again] means nothing,” he said. “We have to approach the game no differently than we have on the road in terms of our plan and what’s required. We don’t have to impress anyone. We don’t have to do this or that, we have to win a game.”

Toronto made a significant lineup change of its own Tuesday, starting Joseph Woll for the first time in this series over Ilya Samsonov. Woll was excellent in making 28 stops and projects to get the call again in Thursday’s critical matchup. Less clear is whether the Leafs will have forward Auston Matthews back in the lineup.

Matthews missed the third period of Game 4 and all of Game 5 with what the Leafs have deemed a “lingering” illness. He skated Tuesday and again Wednesday, but Keefe provided no update on whether he would be available to play in Game 6. Max Domi took over Matthews’ top-line spot in Tuesday’s win with good success (one assist, 85.7 faceoff win percentage) and would center there again if Matthews can’t go.

Boston had better news on Brandon Carlo, who was absent from their bench in overtime Tuesday. Montgomery confirmed the blueliner will be “good to go” in Game 6.

However the Bruins’ lineup comes together, the Leafs are preparing for another hard-fought bout Thursday to keep their season alive. But now, Toronto has a blueprint in mind for success.

“We’re still in a battle,” said Keefe. “That certainly has not changed. We’ve gotten the opponent’s attention here now. So, tomorrow is going to be an even tougher night, but there’s one way to go about it. And that’s how we’ve played in our last two road game [wins]. That’s playoff hockey. That’s what’s required, and we have to bring that to the ice tomorrow.”

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Yelich fuels rally, Brewers extend win streak to 13

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Yelich fuels rally, Brewers extend win streak to 13

CINCINNATI — Christian Yelich had two homers among his four hits and drove in five runs as the Milwaukee Brewers overcame a seven-run deficit to beat the Cincinnati Reds 10-8 Friday night for their club record-tying 13th straight victory.

The Brewers became the first team in 94 years to extend a double-digit win streak with a comeback win of seven or more runs, according to ESPN Research.

The Reds chased Brewers rookie Jacob Misiorowski – making his first start since July 28 – with a seven-run seventh inning to take an 8-1 lead.

Yelich homered leading off the second against Nick Martinez for Milwaukee’s first run. He had an RBI double in the third before Andrew Vaughn hit his 14th homer – a three-run shot – and Brice Turang‘s RBI double to cut it to 8-6. Yelich had a two-run single in the fourth to tie it at 8-all and then hit his 26th homer – a one-out, solo shot off Scott Barlow (6-1) in the sixth to give the Brewers the lead.

Yelich did his damage with a bat honoring the late Bob Uecker. It had the home run call of the former catcher and longtime Brewers’ announcer written on it.

This was also Yelich’s third career game with four hits and two home runs, tying Ryan Braun and Willy Adames for most in franchise history, according to ESPN Research.

Brandon Lockridge went 3 for 5 and doubled off Sam Moll with two outs in the seventh before scoring on a wild pitch for an insurance run.

Misiorowski loaded the bases with one out in the second on a hit batter and two walks and left after walking Spencer Steer to force in a run. Elly De La Cruz had the first hit in the inning – a two-run double off DL Hall for a 4-1 lead. Four straight singles increased the lead to 8-1.

Misiorowski was charged with five runs on four hits and three walks in 1 1/3 innings hours after coming off the injured list. Nick Mears (4-3) pitched a scoreless fifth. Trevor Megill struck out two in the ninth for his 29th save. Six relievers combined to retire the final 23 Reds in order.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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Slumping Dodgers lose 3B Muncy (oblique) to IL

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Slumping Dodgers lose 3B Muncy (oblique) to IL

LOS ANGELES — Third baseman Max Muncy was diagnosed with a Grade 1 oblique strain and landed on the injured list Friday, a major blow to a Los Angeles Dodgers team that finds itself fading in the standings.

Muncy was originally a late scratch from Wednesday’s lineup after feeling soreness in his right side during pregame batting practice. The Dodgers’ hope was that sitting out for the finale from Angel Stadium, then getting extra rest during the Thursday off day, would allow Muncy to return for a critical series against the division-rival San Diego Padres, who have taken a one-game lead in the National League West.

But Muncy will miss this weekend’s series from Dodger Stadium, as well as the following series from San Diego’s Petco Park next weekend.

“I don’t think anyone expects it to be season-ending,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, “but hopefully it’s sooner than later.”

Roberts doesn’t believe the current oblique injury is as bad as the one that forced Muncy to miss about two months last year, but even in a best-case scenario, the Dodgers might be without their third baseman and left-handed power hitter until around mid-September.

Muncy got off to a bad start this year before turning it on in the middle of May, slashing .312/.438/.616 with 11 home runs in a stretch of 41 games. Muncy then injured his left knee during a scary collision at third base and wound up missing most of July. He returned Aug. 4, went 8-for-23 with four home runs over the course of eight games, and now he’s out again — at a time when the reigning World Series champs could really use some reinforcements.

The Dodgers held a nine-game lead in the NL West as of July 3 and have since gone 12-21 to fall a game back of a surging Padres team that arrived in L.A. on the heels of a five-game winning streak. As many as six high-leverage relievers reside on the Dodgers’ IL, though three of them — Michael Kopech, Kirby Yates and Tanner Scott — are nearing returns. The offense, meanwhile, has been mostly unproductive over the past six weeks, posting an 0.708 OPS that ranks 22nd in the major leagues.

During Muncy’s absence, the Dodgers will use Alex Freeland, a switch-hitting rookie who’s batting .176 in his first 12 games, and Buddy Kennedy, a right-handed-hitting journeyman with a career .193 batting average. Other potential reinforcements like Tommy Edman, Hyeseong Kim and Enrique Hernandez remain on the IL and aren’t close enough to a return.

“It’s certainly a tough loss,” Roberts said. “I think it’s just guys got to continue to perform to their abilities. It’s hard to kind of backfill Max, what he means, as far as the plate discipline, the slug, the on-base, all that stuff. I feel good about our lineup, the guys that we have, and they just have to go out there and take good at-bats. That’s all we can do right now.”

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Phils’ Duran takes liner off foot; X-rays negative

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Phils' Duran takes liner off foot; X-rays negative

WASHINGTON — Philadelphia Phillies closer Jhoan Duran was carted off the field after he took a comebacker off his right foot in the ninth inning of a 6-2 victory over the Washington Nationals on Friday night.

The Phillies said that initial X-rays were negative and that Duran would be evaluated further Saturday.

Pitching in a non-save situation after four days off, Duran began the ninth by facing Paul DeJong, who hit a sharp grounder to the mound on his fourth pitch. The ball deflected off Duran’s foot and into foul territory for a single.

Duran ran toward the ball but began limping as he approached the foul line. After a lengthy visit by team trainers, he took a seat in the Nationals’ bullpen cart and was driven off the field.

“He ran like a shot to retrieve the ball, and once he got there, I think the adrenaline wore off and the pain set in,” Thomson said. “But before the cart came out, he said, ‘I actually feel better, I think I can walk over to the dugout.’ But we got all these steps up here, so we just wanted to use the cart and take him all the way around, so he didn’t have to go up the steps.”

Acquired from Minnesota at the trade deadline, Duran is 4-for-4 in save opportunities with the Phillies.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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