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

[Lshap]

Yep. And he will be heading to yet another club this summer.
I don't think anybody said this series is over.
But I did read about 15 leaf media types say it was over before it even started. One of them even predicted a sweep by the leafs. ha! Most others picked "leafs in 5."
Raycroft and Oniel were the only ones picking Bruins.

Gotta' admit I take pleasure in watching the wheels fall off the Leafs bandwagon. I don't actually hate any Leafs players.... it feels like our real rivalry is with the Leafs media!

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Good summary.

I didn't click the link.

But the picture here is a really good example of why I don't listen to this idiot.

 

[PaulD]

Still lots of hockey to be played, despite the score I was not really that impressed by the Bruins. They remind me of the Jets from 4-5 years ago

Very poor puck possession

Playing defence for most of the game

Give up lots of chances against

Elite goaltending keeps them in the game

Generate a few chances off of a big save or missed scoring chance and capitalize


Overall it was a good game, both teams competed hard. Full points to Boston, goaltending kept them in it early, even when it was 1-0 Swayman made some big saves and their players capitalized on the few chances they generated. If there was a game for Toronto to lose, it was game 1 on the road without Nylander, on to the next one.



Keys to game 2

Marner needs to show up for once in his life, please

Sammy needs to be a little better

Get bodies in front of Swayman

Don't take dumb penalties (Domi)

All if the above was the plan at this time yesterday too. ha!

Gotta laugh at drawing up a game plan that includes "Marner needs to show up"

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

There’s effectively zero information about his injury, so it’s really guess work. There was comments that he felt a “tweak” in practice and hadn’t been playing through it or anything in the regular season, so it wasn’t an aggravation.

He’s been shockingly healthy through his career only missing games for contract issues or illness, not injury, since his rookie year, so it’s definitely surprising for him to be out.

It's a big loss. Even when he doesn't produce, he's one of the best Leafs in the postseason. He's always been pretty consistently good.

 

[MM425]

Matthews had a solid game but... no production again.

Marner's usually better at the start of the series rather than the end. Maybe this time he'll flip the script, if the Leafs can extend the series. He was completely invisible.

They need Nylander back in the worst way, he's their best playoff performer.

As for the Bruins, they need more shots on net.

I don’t know man. Matthews will get his goals in this series but this was yet another playoff game where him and Marner visibly lacked “playoff intensity”.

The analytics geeks might roll their eyes at an unquantifiable term like that but I think we have all seen enough of it to be true even if you can’t quite measure it.

 

[PaulD]

Gotta' admit I take pleasure in watching the wheels fall off the Leafs bandwagon. I don't actually hate any Leafs players.... it feels like our real rivalry is with the Leafs media!

Exactly. You are bang on.
exception being Marner - even mist leaf fans dont seem to like that guy.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I don’t know man. Matthews will get his goals in this series but this was yet another playoff game where him and Marner visibly lacked “playoff intensity”.

The analytics geeks might roll their eyes at an unquantifiable term like that but I think we have all seen enough of it to be true even if you can’t quite measure it.

Matthews gets his chances. I agree, he lacks the playoff fire that say... Gilmour had. But at least he gets some chances.

Marner just goes away...

 

[Leafshater67]

They will never win if they pay Marner 13m. I’m sick of seeing them double down every year on the same core and every year, the same core plays invisible when it matters most.

 

[Divine]

Gotta' admit I take pleasure in watching the wheels fall off the Leafs bandwagon. I don't actually hate any Leafs players.... it feels like our real rivalry is with the Leafs media!

That’s why the Leafs sell so well and get prime time. Half the country watches to cheer against them, like the Yankees.

 

[Ratsreign]

Antics like the ones Domi pulled tonight are completely a waste of effort and time. Hacking, slashing and lip service aren’t intimidating.

Big hits, making players check the ice before receiving a pass and a heavy forecheck are much more intimidating

That made him look dumb, easily distracted and immature.

Just like he has always looked.....

 

[Seiza]

Leafs needs Nylander on the ice. He usually elevates his game in the playoffs.

 

[Fire Sweeney]

Any word on if Nylander will actually play in this series? Why is he out? Doing a reverse Mark Stone?

He caught the Boston flu, the one that players afraid to play in the gahden get.

 

[Ratsreign]

That’s a cool quote. But it was mostly Tkachuk who impacted that series. Tkachuk started to be a heavy irritant around the time Florida was about to be bounced. And around the same time, each team got a couple of guys back from injury. Bergeron came back for Boston and Florida got Bennett back. Bergeron is a HOFer but at that moment in time, Bennett was a more impactful player. The combination of Tkachuk and Bennett was too much sandpaper for Boston.

Bennett came back in game 2.
I am wondering, though, if that’s a legitimate quote from Maurice

 

[Lshap]

That’s why the Leafs sell so well and get prime time. Half the country watches to cheer against them, like the Yankees.

As a Habs fan, I totally get the pushback for having an outsized footprint. However, when it comes to the media it's less about hating the Leafs than it is about hating the imbalanced coverage. I can't speak for all fans, but I dislike the GTA-focused TV more than I dislike anyone on Toronto's roster.

Luckily, I can always switch to the French feed and get the same kind of self-gratification, Quebec style.

 

[wintersej]

Game was closer than the score. Until the game blew open the scoring chances and shots were pretty even.

If I am the Bruins, I am concerned about the following things:

- Bruins gave up a lot of scoring chances once they got up…and didn’t get many. Similar to the regular season where the Bruins “shutdown mode” doesn’t actually shut much down except themselves.

- Toronto really beat themselves more than the Bruins beating them. Bad penalties. Poor attention to detail in the defensive zone. Lack of timely goals/saves early on.

- We are one game in to the goalie rotation and already it’s “how can you take Swayman out after that?”. Going to be such a distraction for the coaching staff.

- Geekie struggled and Shattenkirk struggled with the pace.

- Gryz/McAvoy pairing defended a lot and you don’t want Gryz having to defend a lot. Of course they did a lot of that defending already up by a few goals so might just be score effects, but worth keeping an eye on.

If I am the Bruins I am encouraged by the following things:

- The Leafs PK sucks and the Bruins magically having a good PP is a big deal for them.

- DeBrusk looked good and having DeBrusk playing like he can changes the dynamic of the Bruins entirely.

- The Leafs D is still the Leafs D, but now it’s a slower version.

- Leafs fans seem ready to turn on the core 4 and they have to feel that and historically pressure hasn’t been something they react positively to.

- Bruins won a game without Pasta needing multiple points.

- Tavares is clearly on the downswing of his career.

 

[Koolboss]

Dubas and that Tavares signing eh, can't get over that and it's been years.

 

[Lshap]

Game was closer than the score. Until the game blew open the scoring chances and shots were pretty even.

If I am the Bruins, I am concerned about the following things:

- Bruins gave up a lot of scoring chances once they got up…and didn’t get many. Similar to the regular season where the Bruins “shutdown mode” doesn’t actually shut much down except themselves.

- Toronto really beat themselves more than the Bruins beating them. Bad penalties. Poor attention to detail in the defensive zone. Lack of timely goals/saves early on.

- We are one game in to the goalie rotation and already it’s “how can you take Swayman out after that?”. Going to be such a distraction for the coaching staff.

- Geekie struggled and Shattenkirk struggled with the pace.

- Gryz/McAvoy pairing defended a lot and you don’t want Gryz having to defend a lot. Of course they did a lot of that defending already up by a few goals so might just be score effects, but worth keeping an eye on.

If I am the Bruins I am encouraged by the following things:

- The Leafs PK sucks and the Bruins magically having a good PP is a big deal for them.

- DeBrusk looked good and having DeBrusk playing like he can changes the dynamic of the Bruins entirely.

- The Leafs D is still the Leafs D, but now it’s a slower version.

- Leafs fans seem ready to turn on the core 4 and they have to feel that and historically pressure hasn’t been something they react positively to.

- Bruins won a game without Pasta needing multiple points.

- Tavares is clearly on the downswing of his career.

Good summary. You mentioned Boston's goalie-rotation – is this the plan? It would be very unusual to rotate goalies in the playoffs while one is doing well.

 

[thegazelle]

I didn't click the link.

But the picture here is a really good example of why I don't listen to this idiot.

I couldn't watch more than a couple of minutes of it. The over the top, juvenile, embellished rage and yelling was like my kids playing similar video game review videos. He may have a point to make but the feigned outrage via the consistently switched raised voice delivery ruined it

 

[NyQuil]

That’s why the Leafs sell so well and get prime time. Half the country watches to cheer against them, like the Yankees.

More like the Dallas Cowboys.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I couldn't watch more than a couple of minutes of it. The over the top, juvenile, embellished rage and yelling was like my kids playing similar video game review videos. He may have a point to make but the feigned outrage via the consistently switched raised voice delivery ruined it

“Hey everybody!!!! Look at meeeee!!!!!”

 

[PhilKesselFatCamp]

My favorite part of last night was the Bruins having the Leafs off their game even before the first whistle.

Domi chopping at Marchand at the opening faceoff was a preview of the Leafs undisciplined, uncharacteristic play for the rest of the night. The Bruins were so deep in the Leafs heads the Leafs came out looking for a street fight while the Bruins were looking to play playoff hockey.

Honestly, it was beautiful.

 

[wintersej]

Good summary. You mentioned Boston's goalie-rotation – is this the plan? It would be very unusual to rotate goalies in the playoffs while one is doing well.

This is the best we got: https://985thesportshub.com/2024/04...as-to-how-playoff-goalie-rotation-would-work/

 

[BallardEra]

My favorite part of last night was the Bruins having the Leafs off their game even before the first whistle.

Domi chopping at Marchand at the opening faceoff was a preview of the Leafs undisciplined, uncharacteristic play for the rest of the night. The Bruins were so deep in the Leafs heads the Leafs came out looking for a street fight while the Bruins were looking to play playoff hockey.

Honestly, it was beautiful.

Yep.

Domi would have been better off letting his play on the ice dictate that instead of doing what he did.

This isn’t Marchand’s first rodeo and you’re not baiting him into that before the puck drops.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

Yep.

Domi would have been better off letting his play on the ice dictate better than doing what he did.

This isn’t Marchand’s first rodeo and you’re not baiting him into that before the puck drops.

Domi was extremely fortunate the officials assessed McAvoy two for roughing when it only should be Domi in the scrum or he would have been even more a negative for the game. A terrible impact for Domi in game 1.

 

[luiginb]

I didn't click the link.

But the picture here is a really good example of why I don't listen to this idiot.

I made the mistake of clicking it. God. Does that clown have cocaine for breakfast?