Nikita Zaitsev was still wearing the frustration of a loss, but was also reasonably confident there was nothing he could have done differently to prevent the Bruins’ go-ahead goal, and eventual game-winner, late in the second period Saturday night.



“It happens once — maybe, once a year,” said Zaitsev, wearing a navy Maple Leafs hoodie in a corner of the team’s dressing room after the 3-2 defeat, the third in four games against Boston this season.



With 18 seconds left in the middle frame, Zaitsev went to play the puck in the corner, only instead of sending it around to a waiting Travis Dermott behind the net, the 27-year-old flubbed the attempt. A few seconds later, the puck was behind Michael Hutchinson and the Leafs were trailing. They never did go in front again on a night when they hogged 55 per cent of the scoring chances.



Afterward, Zaitsev, who was also on the ice and involved in the two other Boston goals, explained that...