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

[wintersej]

Bruins just need to win one of their next two games. Playing half the game with 5 D hurt them. Disappointing they couldn’t put their foot on the Leafs neck, but it was 1-1 after 2 in 2013 and 2019, too.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

I never knew that Matthews averages 24mins a game, that's a lot for a forward but he can handle it.

 

[TheGroceryStick]

Fair. I'd really love it if Matthews reverted back to game 1 performance level lol. Bruins might not have an answer if he continues his game 2 mean streak. Personally, that sucked to watch. Even after the first period being up 2-1 it didn't feel great.

Gotta be bittersweet knowing how good the US Olympic team is going to be. (Although im not sure if you’re American, there’s too many Canadian Bruin fans to tell - especially in Bobby influenced Oshawa, as I am)

US gunna be a problem at the olympics- and I’m worried about that. lol but until then, keep up the beast mode AM!

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

If the Leafs can match Boston's overall effort level and structure, they can win this because they have more individual talent.

Boston's always a tough game because they seem to bring it all the time, and to beat them you have to match that 60 minute effort. But without Bergeron and Krejci Boston can be beat by a more talented team if that effort is matched.

 

[HockeyVirus]

I don't know what you're getting at, because I member many Toronto fans saying Matthews was great in game 1. I didn't see it that way at all.

Game 2, absolutely.

That depends how you see the game. If scoring points = played good, no points = played bad then sure.

Matthews does so much away from the puck, and he did that in both games. He also had 5 shots (and at least 1 puck just didn't fall for him or would have been a goal).

He's played well the entire series.

 

[TD Charlie]

That depends how you see the game. If scoring points = played good, no points = played bad then sure.

Matthews does so much away from the puck, and he did that in both games. He also had 5 shots (and at least 1 puck just didn't fall for him or would have been a goal).

He's played well the entire series.

He had a few flashes game 1, he wasn't totally abysmal or anything. Just nowhere near the same player he was last night. The difference wasn't just the points either. He was excellent in game 2, to the point I legitimately didn't think he had that extra level in him. Not in the post season anyway. Also remember, I've really only seen him in games against the Bruins, both regular season and post...so that performance last night was the anomaly.

While I hope and pray he settles down to what I usually see from him, I know you hope he continues his trend up.

Just how she goes I guess. Cheers for a respectful reply. Appreciate it today!

 

[HockeyVirus]

I have long been a critic of the Leafs for being marshmallow soft and nothing but regular-season skating princesses, but will now have to admit that last night they showed some real grit in what amounted to a de facto elimination game (I think if they had lost they would have collapsed entirely the rest of the series) and without Nylander. So Kudos to the Leafs. Boston now has a real fight on their hands, recalling the old adage that you're not in trouble until you lose a home game.

Leafs being soft is old news. The core had moments of it for sure in their teenage years and early 20's. But they have been adding toughness for years and years and bullied Tampa in round 1 last year. People thinking they are soft or one of the softest teams in the league simply don't watch them regularly

 

[TD Charlie]

Gotta be bittersweet knowing how good the US Olympic team is going to be. (Although im not sure if you’re American, there’s too many Canadian Bruin fans to tell - especially in Bobby influenced Oshawa, as I am)

US gunna be a problem at the olympics- and I’m worried about that. lol but until then, keep up the beast mode AM!

Yes, I'm a Boston guy lol. I don't put quite as much heart into the Oly's though. I'll watch, but it doesn't bother me.

 

[HockeyVirus]

He had a few flashes game 1, he wasn't totally abysmal or anything. Just nowhere near the same player he was last night. The difference wasn't just the points either. He was excellent in game 2, to the point I legitimately didn't think he had that extra level in him. Not in the post season anyway. Also remember, I've really only seen him in games against the Bruins, both regular season and post...so that performance last night was the anomaly.

While I hope and pray he settles down to what I usually see from him, I know you hope he continues his trend up.

Just how she goes I guess. Cheers for a respectful reply. Appreciate it today!

That is fair. Leaf fans see Matthews 82 games a year and we see him dominate teams like that all the time. He has historically been quieter against a few teams like the Bruins and Flames (oddly enough).

Leaf fans saw that level in him last year against Tampa as he was a massive part of us winning that series. Timely, clutch goals by him. The nature of the sport though is that people remember the last thing they saw, which was him not playing well against the Panthers.

 

[Stickpucker]

What was the deserves to win o meter in game 2?

 

[AvroArrow]

What was the deserves to win o meter in game 2?

Not sure, but the, Hemmed-in-o-meter, was 90-10 in favor of Toronto

 

[dukeofjive]

Atention please attention please…

This msg is brought to you by the letter F.

F the bruins.

That is all….

 

[Donnie740]

There isn't one. Keefe said that Treliving isn't allowing them to talk about injury.

Which is exactly the way it should be.

This is the difference between having a professional GM like Brad Treliving compared to an incompetent kid from Brock Community College who would have been calling and texting every media shill with full details of the injury.

 

[Stickpucker]

Game 2 highlights

 

[HockeyVirus]

Game 2 highlights

Highlight of every time Marchand got slightly touched

 

[Peasy]

There used to be those bear gifs with Kadri and Phil photoshopped on back in the day... Couldnt find them though.

Might need to make some new ones if the Leafs can get the job done.

 

[TD Charlie]

Highlight of every time Marchand got slightly touched

But that bear looks like he landed on his feet, so is it really that accurate?

 

[quat]

McAvoy would have been my choice.

This way Marchand can be Marchand instead of trying to be Bergeron 2.0 and you know acting like a professional and all that.

He is a diving rat. Be that.

Being a pest is a huge part of Marchand's game and being captain neuters that to a large degree. Not sure why the organization didn't respect that and as you and others have pointed out, made McAvoy or Pasta captain. Odd mistake in an otherwise respectable run of good management decisions.

It's good to see series even, just for the better chance for quality hockey.

 

[JEM28]

Atention please attention please…

This msg is brought to you by the letter F.

F the bruins.

That is all….

And people wonder why the Leafs fan base can’t be taken seriously and is probably the most reviled in the league.

 

[TD Charlie]

There used to be those bear gifs with Kadri and Phil photoshopped on back in the day... Couldnt find them though.

Might need to make some new ones if the Leafs can get the job done.

There used to be gifs and other images for EVERYTHING. The golden era of hfboards. It is dearly missed.

 

[JEM28]

Being a pest is a huge part of Marchand's game and being captain neuters that to a large degree. Not sure why the organization didn't respect that and as you and others have pointed out, made McAvoy or Pasta captain. Odd mistake in an otherwise respectable run of good management decisions.

It's good to see series even, just for the better chance for quality hockey.

If you were even a moderately close follower of the Bruins you would know the answer to your question. There was no other serious contender for the C. It was his and it was the right decision for this squad at this time.

But thanks for your thoughts.

 

[NDiesel]

Holy hell, you would think the Bruins just went down 0-3 if you read the last several pages...

 

[The don godfather]

It would be hilarious if bruins sneak this out with el cheapo free agents heinen shattenkirk geekie and jvr with Coyle and zacha as 1 c and 2 c.

 

[cvaicunas]

This is what the series will come down to tbh. Toronto will outplay Boston at 5v5, but make some pewee-level decisions that the Bruins can capitalize on

If those are minimized, the Leafs should win. That's a huge if, though

If this team, and core did not have the postseason history they have had, fans might be looking at this series at little more objectively. Boston, although at times still dominant, is a team who's core is on the downside. They've looked beatable often enough this season, and the Leafs have enough talent to win. What the Leafs desperately need is the structure the Bruins operate with.

 

[Over the volcano]

And people wonder why the Leafs fan base can’t be taken seriously and is probably the most reviled in the league.

Nobody wonders that