The Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins are gearing up for a decisive Game 7 showdown in their first-round playoff series. This matchup adds another page to their storied postseason rivalry.
In recent history, the Maple Leafs have encountered challenging circumstances in Game 7 encounters against the Bruins as they suffered losses in all three previous meetings – 2013, 2018 and 2019.
In Game 6 of this year's series, the Toronto Maple Leafs secured a 2-1 victory, propelled by William Nylander's two-goal performance to keep their playoff hopes alive. Nylander's first goal came at 19:05 of the second period, deflecting off Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy. His second goal secured the win at 17:47 of the third period.
Nylander expressed pride in the team effort, saying:
“It was nice to get on the board and scoring two goals, for sure,” he told reporters, “but I’m proud of our team effort. We battled and competed the entire 60. [Goalie Joseph Woll] was incredible for us as well.”
In contrast, Boston faced a slow start, enabling Toronto to outshoot them 12-1 during the first period. This marked the lowest shot count yielded by Toronto in a single playoff period since 2004.
Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery acknowledged the team's need for improvement:
"It's unacceptable, our start again. We have to find a way to start on time. And we just got to be better."
Despite a late push, highlighted by Morgan Geekie's goal with 0.1 seconds left, the Bruins fell short.
Key statistics from Game 6 include Toronto Maple Leafs' defensive strength, blocking 27 shots and winning 63% of faceoffs. Goaltender Joseph Woll, who replaced Ilya Samsonov in Game 4, continued his strong performance with 22 saves. The absence of Toronto star Auston Matthews, sidelined with illness for a second consecutive game, did not hinder the Maple Leafs' performance.
With the series now tied at 3-3, Game 7 will be played on Saturday in Boston at 8:00 p.m. ET, with the winner advancing to face the Florida Panthers in the second round. Both teams will look to leverage their strengths and learn from past Game 7 experiences as they fight for playoff success.
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Florida Panthers: Can Toronto secure a second-round playoff clash?
The second round of the NHL playoffs will commence with Eastern Conference action. The Carolina Hurricanes will square off against the New York Rangers, with Game 1 scheduled for Sunday in New York City.
Game 1 of the other semifinal series will take place on Monday in Sunrise, Florida. The winner of the Toronto Maple Leafs versus Boston Bruins Game 7 matchup will travel to face Florida Panthers. Specific game times and national broadcast details are pending announcement.
Additionally, On Friday, two crucial playoff matchups take center stage. The Vancouver Canucks, holding a 3-2 series lead, will clash with the Nashville Predators at 7:00 p.m. ET, broadcasted on TNT and truTV. In a high-stakes encounter, the Dallas Stars, leading 3-2, will battle the Vegas Golden Knights at 10:00 p.m. ET, to be televised on the same networks.