There was a time, not so long ago, when the Maple Leafs were known as the team that faltered every spring. Before long, that unenviable title could go to the Bruins.
For the second time in as many occasions, Brand Marchand and his teammates had the opportunity to eliminate the Torontonians. If Matthew Knies deprived them of this privilege for the first time on Tuesday evening, by scoring in overtime, on Thursday, it was William Nylander, with a double, who prevented the Bruins from reaching the second round.
Due to this 2-1 victory, the Maple Leafs caused a seventh and final game to be held.
Photo Getty Images via AFP
If we say that the Bruins could become the perfect representation of a team incapable of finishing the job, it is because they just missed a sixth consecutive chance to eliminate an opponent.
In 2022, they lost in the final meeting of their series against the Hurricanes. Last year, going three wins to one against the Panthers, they lost the flag in the following three meetings.
And now history repeats itself against the Leafs. On Saturday, Jim Montgomery’s troop will have one last opportunity to ward off what seems to be becoming a bad fate.
Energetic Nylander
The Bruins only have themselves to blame for this other setback. Like the fifth game, they got very close to Joseph Woll during the first 20 minutes. Only one shot on goal.
Certainly nothing to bring good humor back to Montgomery’s heart. At the end of the fifth game, he indicated that his level of frustration would only drop at the time of the initial puck of the sixth confrontation.
We saw him raise his voice on a few occasions behind the bench.
While the Bears took half the game to come out of hibernation, the Maple Leafs blew a few chances. Topping the list was a four-minute power play in which they took just two shots on goal.
It wasn’t until the very end of the second period, with 55 seconds left, that Nylander opened the scoring. This had the effect of breathing a little life into the funeral home on Bay Street.
The Swede, who had not hit the target in his last 13 matches, ensured the victory of his team by beating Jeremy Swayman on a breakaway.
As for Woll, he lost his shutout with less than a second to play. Sent into the fray for a second straight game, he has now allowed only two goals to the Bruins.
Matthews as reinforcement
Once again, then, the Leafs and Bruins will need a seventh game to determine a winner. This was also the case during their last three confrontations (2013, 2018 and 2019). Each time, the Bruins had the best.
For this meeting without tomorrow, the Leafs could obtain reinforcement. On the sidelines since the third period of game four, Auston Matthews could return to the game.
The man who scored 69 goals in the regular season skated alone Thursday morning before the team’s practice.
That being said, the Leafs are undefeated in three games without Matthews (one during the regular season and two in this series).
This seventh game is scheduled for Saturday at TD Garden in Boston at 8 p.m.
