ECQF: Boston Bruins vs Toronto Maple Leafs (Series Tied 3-3)

[Strangle]

Matthews was also part of the reason they were down 3-1 to be fair.

Last game was the best game of the series for Toronto and it’s not shocking matthews was watching and not playing…. If he comes back and they lose…. We know why

Pasta and swayman and Marchand are the reasons the bruins are facing elimination at all

To be fair

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

Three things have changed in the last two games:

1. The Leafs have only had to kill 1 PP a game the last two games. The Bruins had been reliant on the PP and now they ain't getting them. The games changing to being more 5 on 5 based is in Toronto's favor. Some of it is Bert and Domi keeping their shit together. Some of it is the refs have been letting more go as the series has gone on. Which isn't unnormal, just annoying when you are the special teams based team.

2. Woll hasn't given up any bad goals. He hasn't had to stand on his head with the Bruins anemic 5 on 5 offense, but he hasn't done anything to ruin things either.

3. The bounces are going Toronto's way. Earlier in the series it was Toronto fans complaining about Bert and Marchand not getting matching penalties to blow the play dead. Now it's Boston fans complaining about the Lorhei non-call. That shit is going to happen for both sides, but the hockey gods are on Toronto's side now.

Now, will the hockey gods remain on Toronto's side for game 7? They are fickle. Will the Bruins only get one PP for the third straight game? On home ice in a game 7? We will see.

Toronto has really played the last couple games like they have never been able to play before. Ugly playoff hockey. Regardless of the outcome, it's going to be good for their DNA. Regardless of the outcome for the Bruins, they need more talent in the forward group. The Zacha/Coyle mirage worked in the regular season, but has shat itself in the post season.

Wolls been good, but bruins need to challenge him more…. He spent half the game the last 2 games doing basically nothing

 

[wintersej]

100%

I have a hard time thinking Monty goes if they lose given the quality of the forward group on this team. Everyone expected a wild card team and instead they were up there for the presidents trophy up until the last week or two of the season.

But, he will be on ridiculously thin ice next season.

 

[Strangle]

So tiring even when the Leafs win the haters gotta try and be negative. Oh the team is better without Matthews. Yeah yeah, people said the same thing when we lost Rielly. Maybe teams find another gear when their backs are against the wall and they lose a leader and top player?

By the same logic, the bruins must be better without pasta, swayman and Marchand

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

Pasta and swayman and Marchand are the reasons the bruins are facing elimination at all

To be fair

Swayman hasn’t given up more than 2 games this series and chillin with a 950 save percentage.

Funny enough Marchand and pasta would be leading Toronto in scoring this series. And if you are giving a pass to matthews because he won game 2 for Toronto…. You certainly giving a pass to Marchand for winning 1, 3 and 4.

Pasta needs to be better tho, I can agree with that

 

[Just Rude]

Last game was the best game of the series for Toronto and it’s not shocking matthews was watching and not playing…. If he comes back and they lose…. We know why

Wait, are you saying the Leafs would be better off without their 69-goal scorer who plays a consistent, strong two-way game?

And if he comes back and they happen to lose Game 7 on the road, it's because of him? You're kidding, right?

Leafs won both games, yes. But both were extremely tight. The Leafs adapted to the B's style, limiting chances and playing a more "heavy", grinding game instead of trying to make it a track meet. Keefe is an idiot and is almost always outcoached, but he finally figured out how to play the Bruins. They've simplified their game and Woll has been fantastic, but Boston could have won either game. It's been that tight.


If you think the Leafs are better without Matthews, it might be one of the worst takes I've ever seen on these boards. That is impressive.

 

[93gilmour93]

View attachment 864073View attachment 864074

 

[NDiesel]

I have a hard time thinking Monty goes if they lose given the quality of the forward group on this team. Everyone expected a wild card team and instead they were up there for the presidents trophy up until the last week or two of the season.

But, he will be on ridiculously thin ice next season.

I normally would agree, but if he can coach this team to 109 point season I don't think you can give him the benefit of the doubt after two blown 3-1 series leads.

The only way I see him staying is if Sweeney is fired, the new GM might want him to stay and kind of be the scapegoat if their first season isn't going as planned.

 

[JadedLeaf]

As a fan of this team I really don’t care. What upsets me is having to watch Jack Edwards call the two worst games of his career as his retirement send off. That will stay with me for a long long time

Is he not calling game 7? I just heard people talking about how it was a really bad last two games for him. Seems odd to not let him do game 7. Highly possible I miss interpreted that.

 

[HanSolo]

Wolls been good, but bruins need to challenge him more…. He spent half the game the last 2 games doing basically nothing

This and I don't think that many of the chances he faced when the Bruins finally started getting shots through were all that challenging. There were maybe two chances in the third where I felt, yeah Woll definitely kept this score level. A lot of the shots were right into the padding and Boston didn't do a good enough job having good positioning to pick up rebounds.

 

[AvroArrow]

100% it’s pretty obvious that matthews is toxic… his body was rejecting his toxicity, that’s why he got sick.

The team looks more comfortable without him…. I think leafs should trade matthews to Utah…. His a cancer to the team and the city… and marner and nylander look so much better without him

 

[The don godfather]

Bostons big guys haven't shown up so far. Marchand was really good in the first 3-4 games but took some bad penalties in the last 2 and hasn't done much.

From the B's perspective they need a lot more from McAvoy defensively, he just hasn't provided that high level of play you'd expect from your #1D. In all 3 losses he made some huge mistakes, the OT winner he was just puck watching, not even paying attention to the front of the net. On the gwg last night, bad step up on Knies leading to the breakaway.

I know we'd be tearing Rielly apart on our boards if it was him in McAvoys shoes.

Praying Matthews can come back for game 7, throw him on the 3rd line, top 2 lines have been solid.

There is no such thing called momentum . It's a new game next game. Bruins start fresh.

 

[kevsh]

Means something or not, but Boston hasn't won a game since Florida clinched.

 

[TD Charlie]

Is he not calling game 7? I just heard people talking about how it was a really bad last two games for him. Seems odd to not let him do game 7. Highly possible I miss interpreted that.

ABC pulled the trump card and called dibs. NESN, and Jack are left holding their shmenzers

 

[Lshap]

Three things have changed in the last two games:

1. The Leafs have only had to kill 1 PP a game the last two games. The Bruins had been reliant on the PP and now they ain't getting them. The games changing to being more 5 on 5 based is in Toronto's favor. Some of it is Bert and Domi keeping their shit together. Some of it is the refs have been letting more go as the series has gone on. Which isn't unnormal, just annoying when you are the special teams based team.

2. Woll hasn't given up any bad goals. He hasn't had to stand on his head with the Bruins anemic 5 on 5 offense, but he hasn't done anything to ruin things either.

3. The bounces are going Toronto's way. Earlier in the series it was Toronto fans complaining about Bert and Marchand not getting matching penalties to blow the play dead. Now it's Boston fans complaining about the Lorhei non-call. That shit is going to happen for both sides, but the hockey gods are on Toronto's side now.

Now, will the hockey gods remain on Toronto's side for game 7? They are fickle. Will the Bruins only get one PP for the third straight game? On home ice in a game 7? We will see.

Toronto has really played the last couple games like they have never been able to play before. Ugly playoff hockey. Regardless of the outcome, it's going to be good for their DNA. Regardless of the outcome for the Bruins, they need more talent in the forward group. The Zacha/Coyle mirage worked in the regular season, but has shat itself in the post season.

This should be required reading for every playoff series. We imagine there's a kind of pre-destiny at work, but every single year we're bonked over the heads with teams that refuse to follow the script. Momentum is on Toronto's side right now and it feels like it'll carry them into game-7. It might. But history shows we never know when momentum will shift the other way.

 

[Lshap]

There is no such thing called momentum . It's a new game next game. Bruins start fresh.

Momentum exists. It just has a rude habit of combusting when you least expect, like a Spinal Tap drummer.

 

[Ray Mercer]

Is there any clarity on what's going on with Matthews? Is it a physical injury or just the flu? It's crazy to think he would miss 4 games for a bad flu bug.

 

[BaconNater]

This series is like watching 2 7th graders playing a game of PIG on the basketball court whilst the NBA player awaits to play against the winner laughing hysterically

 

[TheDoldrums]

I think the biggest thing Keefe has realized is Boston is really slow. Leaned into it by playing Gregor over Reaves.

Basically if Leafs just play really simple and boring, Boston isn't going to beat them around the outside and create any rush chances.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Wolls been good, but bruins need to challenge him more…. He spent half the game the last 2 games doing basically nothing

 

[wintersej]

I normally would agree, but if he can coach this team to 109 point season I don't think you can give him the benefit of the doubt after two blown 3-1 series leads.

The only way I see him staying is if Sweeney is fired, the new GM might want him to stay and kind of be the scapegoat if their first season isn't going as planned.

I mean Sweeney isn't getting fired for their step back year getting them what would have been the Leafs third best regular season record of all time. Especially given that Poitras, Beecher and Lorhei have shown they are going to be quality NHLers next year.

 

[barkovcanfinnish]

I gotta say Matthew Knies has really impressed me. He’s stood out to me the most over the last couple games aside from the goalies.

 

[Just Rude]

I gotta say Matthew Knies has really impressed me. He’s stood out to me the most over the last couple games aside from the goalies.

Knies has been fantastic.

 

[HockeyVirus]

I gotta say Matthew Knies has really impressed me. He’s stood out to me the most over the last couple games aside from the goalies.

Kid has the IT factor. As a Leafs fan I keep watching him and thinking he is the type of guy I am used to watching other teams have and wishing we had someone like him.

Only 21 years old and still learning how strong he is.

 

[NDiesel]

I gotta say Matthew Knies has really impressed me. He’s stood out to me the most over the last couple games aside from the goalies.

He's been a lot for the Bruins D to handle, props to him as a Bs fan