BOSTON BRUINS VS. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
Bruins: 49-24-9, 107 points, second in Atlantic
Maple Leafs: 46-28-8, 100 points, third in
Atlantic
Season series: BOS 3-1-0; TOR 1-3-0
THE SKINNY
Another year, another matchup between the Boston Bruins and
Toronto Maple Leafs in the Eastern Conference First Round.
The Maple Leafs have been to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in
four of the past seven seasons. They play the Bruins for the second straight
year and third time since 2013, losing in seven games in '13 and 2018.
They're hoping history doesn't repeat itself.
But the Bruins were tied with the Calgary Flames for the
second-most points (107) in the NHL behind the Tampa Bay Lightning (128) and
will be a difficult opponent for the Maple Leafs. Toronto went 4-7-3 in its
final 14 games, ceding ground to a Bruins team that is 22-7-4 since Jan. 29,
including a 19-game point streak (15-0-4) from Jan. 29 to March 9. Boston's
postseason aspirations go beyond a five-game loss to the Lightning in the
second round last season.
But the Maple Leafs, who signed center John Tavares to a
seven-year, $77 million contract July 1, are hoping they can get over their
postseason struggles against the Bruins and advance to the second round for the
first time since 2004.
GAME BREAKERS
Bruins: Right wing David
Pastrnak missed 16 games because of an injured thumb that
required surgery but returned March 19 and had 11 points (five goals, six
assists) in his next five games, including his third hat trick of the season in
a five-point game March 27. Pastrnak finished with NHL career highs in points
(81) and goals (38) in 66 games.
Maple Leafs: It was clear when they signed
Tavares he would make an impact. It would have been hard to anticipate the
center setting an NHL career high with 47 goals; surpassing the 40-goal mark
for the first time and getting an NHL best 88 points.
GOALTENDING
Bruins: Tuukka Rask (27-12-5)
is a notoriously slow starter and this season was no exception. Rask was
briefly overtaken by Jaroslav
Halak as the starting goalie but bounced back with a 19-game
point streak (16-0-3, 1.94 goals-against average, .929 save percentage) from
Dec. 29 to March 9. Rask finished with a 2.42 GAA and .912 save percentage.
Halak went 22-11-4 with a 2.34 GAA and .922 save percentage.
Maple Leafs: Their goaltending situation is
uncertain heading into the playoffs. Frederik
Andersen (36-16-7) struggled down the stretch but finished with
a 2.77 GAA and .917 save percentage. Michael
Hutchinson, who played five games for the Maple Leafs this season,
replaces Garret Sparks as
Andersen's backup until further notice.
NUMBERS TO KNOW
Bruins: Boston allowed 2.59 goals per game,
third behind the New York Islanders (2.33) and Dallas Stars (2.44), and will
test Toronto's offense, which is fourth in goals per game (3.49), behind the
Lightning (3.89), Flames (3.52) and San Jose Sharks (3.52).
Maple Leafs: Andersen had a 2.56 GAA and .924
save percentage after 50 games. He allowed 3.85 goals per game with an .878
save percentage in his next nine.
INJURY REPORT
Bruins: Fourth-line forward Sean Kuraly needed
surgery to repair a broken right hand sustained against the New Jersey Devils
on March 21. The expected recovery time is approximately four weeks, which
would keep Kuraly out for at least a part of the first round. Defenseman John Moore is week to
week with an upper-body injury sustained against the Lightning on March
25
Maple Leafs: None.
WILL WIN IF …
Bruins: They replicate their top-line magic from
last season. The Bruins have more depth this season, but they eliminated the
Maple Leafs last season on the strength of Brad Marchand, Patrice
Bergeron and Pastrnak combining for 30 points (nine goals, 21
assists) in the best-of-7 series. They do that again, they win again.
Maple Leafs: Their goaltending holds up.
Andersen had a 3.76 GAA and .896 save percentage in the playoffs last season.
Though Toronto's offense can be dynamic, it will be against a rock-solid Bruins
defense. If Andersen can steal a couple of games, or at least be better than
last time, the Maple Leafs can move on.
HOW THEY LOOK
BRUINS PROJECTED LINEUP
Brad Marchand -- Patrice Bergeron -- David Pastrnak
Jake DeBrusk -- David Krejci -- Marcus
Johansson
Danton Heinen -- Charlie Coyle -- Chris Wagner
David Backes -- Joakim
Nordstrom -- Noel Acciari
Zdeno Chara -- Charlie
McAvoy
Brandon Carlo --
Torey Krug
Matt Grzelcyk -- Kevan Miller
Tuukka Rask
Jaroslav Halak
Scratched: Karson
Kuhlman, Steven
Kampfer, Connor
Clifton
MAPLE LEAFS PROJECTED LINEUP
Zach Hyman -- John Tavares -- Mitchell
Marner
Andreas
Johnsson -- Auston
Matthews -- William
Nylander
Patrick
Marleau -- Nazem Kadri -- Kasperi
Kapanen
Trevor Moore -- Frederik
Gauthier -- Connor Brown
Ron Hainsey --
Morgan Rielly
Nikita
Zaitsev -- Jake Muzzin
Jake Gardiner -- Travis
Dermott
Frederik Andersen
Michael Hutchinson
Scratched: Calle Rosen, Tyler Ennis, Nic Petan
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