The Bruins erased a 2-0 deficit with goals in the second and third period.
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Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron scored in the third period and recorded the shootout winner to help beat the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Bruins rolled out very different line combinations to begin the game, but by the middle of the third period, reverted back. And it paid off.
Boston, sporting their white road jerseys, erased a 2-0 deficit with goals by center Patrice Bergeron and left winger Milan Lucic to force extra time and went onto beat the Toronto Maple Leafs, 3-2 in a shootout to wrap up a home-and-home series Monday night at TD Garden.
Bergeron also recorded the shootout winner.
It was a small step in the right direction for the Bruins who were coming off a miserable 1-3 road trip with only six goals scored.
"It was big," Bruins netminder Tuukka Rask said. "We were close last time with Toronto; 3-0 was a little too much for us to come back from, but it’s been coming, and I hope it builds our confidence the right way."
Lucic started the game on the third line with center Rich Peverley and wing Jordan Caron who helped him end a career-worst 15-game goal-scoring drought dating back to Feb. 24 against the Florida Panthers.
Lucic deked past a clump of Leafs at 9:49 in the second period to cut Toronto's lead in half and wake up the sellout crowd of 17,565.
With the exception of recording three assists against the Washington Capitals on March 16, it's been a miserable month for Lucic, but maybe his goal could serve as a kickstart.
"That’s nice that he got part of his game going, and he got rewarded for that, scoring a really nice goal," Bruins captain Zdeno Chara said. "It’s not always as easy to be done and said, and I’m sure he knows that."
The Leafs struck first courtesy of a power play in the second period.
Defenseman Jake Gardiner was patient with the puck in the slot and found left winger Joffrey Lupul all by himself as he quickly flicked a wrist shot past Rask (24 saves) at 2:04.
Leafs left winger Nikolai Kulemin found himself on a breakaway and buried the puck top left shelf to take a 2-0 lead at 8:01.
Bruins blueliners Andrew Ference and Aaron Johnson were the victims of a brain freeze.
With a minute to go in the period, Julien decided to reunite the lines and it carried over into the third.
Defenseman Dougie Hamilton played the puck from behind the Toronto net and found Bergeron in front as he backhanded the puck past Leafs netminder James Reimer (28 saves) to tie it 2-2 at 10:36.
Brad Marchand, who was switched back with Bergeron and right winger Tyler Seguin, had the other assist.
There were opportunities for the B's to get on the board in the first period.
Krejci had two quality scoring chances early, but missed wide of the net then was robbed by Reimer with a glove stop.
Boston had a chance to capitalize on the power play with 2:41 left in the period, but found themselves mostly chasing down pucks back to their defensive end.
INJURY REPORT: Defenseman Johnny Boychuk missed his second straight game with a right foot injury he suffered during last Friday's practice. He is listed as day-to-day. Julien said defenseman Adam McQuaid (strained left shoulder) could miss four to six weeks instead of the original projection of three to four. There is still no timetable on center Chris Kelly's (broken tibia) return.
SCOUT WATCH: With the April 3 NHL trade deadline fast approaching a slew of scouts packed the press box. Of the 14 represented, notable clubs included Anaheim, Calgary, Dallas, and San Jose.