TORONTO -- The Boston Bruins twice let leads slip away so they had to rely on a shootout to eke out a 4-3 victory Monday over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Even the shootout was a struggle with Bruins center David Krejci, the last shooter to go, scoring the only goal.

"It was a win," Bruins coach Claude Julien said. "I think we talked about it after the second period, some nights are tougher than others.

"The guys grinded it out, you find ways to win. David had a probably tough night but scored the winning goal for us. That's an example of a guy gutting it out and saying I've got to find a way."

Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask made 39 saves as the Bruins (11-8-1) won their third game in a row.

"He played phenomenal, especially late," said left winger Brad Marchand, who scored his ninth goal of the season for Boston. "With nine seconds left (in overtime) he made a phenomenal save (on right winger James van Riemsdyk). That's thing about him he comes up big when we need it and he did again tonight."

"Tuukka finished real strong, which we needed," Julien said. "That big save with nine seconds left allowed us to get that second point."

Centers Zac Rinaldo and Landon Ferraro also scored for Boston. Right winger Joffrey Lupul and centers Leo Komarov and Tyler Bozak scored for Toronto (7-10-5) in regulation.

The Maple Leafs gave up the first two goals of the game before tying it at 2-2 and 3-3.

"I like the way we played," Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock said. "We played with good energy. We had good looks on our power play. I thought we had a lull after they got two and then we got ourselves regrouped and played hard. We had tons of chances"

It was the second game in three days between the teams. The Bruins won 2-0 on Sunday in Boston.

"We battled hard," Bozak said. "Their goalie played a really good game and made some crucial saves. We thought we played pretty well. We thought we gave it to them in the second and third and had a lot of chances. We were happy with our effort, it was unfortunate that we were unable to get the two points."

The Bruins failed to take advantage of a power play with 2:01 left in the third period when Maple Leafs defenseman Matt Hunwick took a hooking penalty.

With 1:42 to play in overtime, the Maple Leafs went on the power play when Bruins center Patrice Bergeron received a holding penalty, but they could not avoid a shootout with Rask holding them off.

The Bruins took a 2-0 lead in the first period.

Boston opened with a short-handed goal at 4:58 with Marchand batting home a high rebound from a shot by Bergeron. Marchand's goal of the season came with Boston right winger Brett Connolly serving a tripping penalty.

Rinaldo scored his first goal of the season at 12:39 of the first period, bursting down the right wing and beating Reimer with a wrist shot from the faceoff circle. Defenseman Dennis Seidenberg and Rask picked up assists.

The Maple Leafs scored twice in slightly more than a minute in the second period to tie it at 2.

Lupul scored his eighth goal of the season at 11:54 with Reimer out of the goal for an extra attacker on a delayed penalty to Boston.

After Reimer made a spectacular pad save on Boston right winger Jimmy Hayes from the edge of the crease, the Maple Leafs tied the score at 12:56 on the seventh goal of the season by Komarov, who jammed home a rebound.

Boston regained the lead at 14:40 of the second when Ferraro tapped home Marchand's rebound for his first goal of the season.

The Maple Leafs tied the score again with the fourth goal of the season by Bozak on a shot from close range on a rebound at 16:09 of the second period.

NOTES: Boston claimed RW Landon Ferraro off waivers from the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday. Ferraro had not played for Detroit since Nov. 6 because of a lower-body injury and was about to be removed from the injured reserve list. The Bruins made room for Ferraro by putting D Kevan Miller (upper body) on IR. Miller was injured Nov. 17. ... The Maple Leafs lost D Petter Granberg on waivers to the Nashville Predators Sunday. He suffered a torn Achilles tendon in training camp and was put on waivers to be sent to the AHL Marlies. ... Toronto D Roman Polak played his 500th NHL game Monday. ...The Leafs played their third game in four days Monday in the opener of a three-game homestand. Their next game is Friday when they are home to the Washington Capitals. ... The Bruins will visit the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday.