Morphinity 2.0 Posted April 19 Share Posted April 19 (2A) Boston Bruins vs. (3A) Toronto Maple Leafs REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS: Bruins: 47-20-15, 109 points Maple Leafs: 46-26-10, 102 points SEASON SERIES: BOS 4-0-0; TOR 0-2-2 GAME BREAKERS: Bruins: David Pastrnak is the Bruins' most dynamic scorer, finishing fifth in the NHL with 110 points and leading Boston by 43 points over Marchand. It marked the second straight season he's gotten at least 110 points (113 last season). Pastrnak had 47 goals and 63 assists, including 35 points on the power play. He has scored more than a point per game in the playoffs, (35 goals, 44 assists in 77 games), including the 2019 Stanley Cup Final. Maple Leafs: It had been 31 seasons since Teemu Selanne and Alexander Mogilny each scored 76 goals in 1992-93. Though Matthews just missed 70 goals, his 69 were the most since Mario Lemieux scored 69 in 1995-96. Matthews is clearly the gamebreaker on a team full of offensive stars. He had 107 points in 81 games, a new NHL career high. He has 44 points (22 goals, 22 assists) in 50 playoff games, including 11 (five goals, six assists) last season when he reached the second round for the first time. GOALTENDING: Bruins: Goaltending is their biggest strength. They boast a 1A/1B tandem that no one can match, with Ullmark, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner, and Jeremy Swayman. Ullmark went 22-10-7 with a 2.57 goals-against average, .915 save percentage and two shutouts in 40 games (39 starts), including 6-3-0 with a 1.90 GAA and .935 save percentage in nine games since the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline on March 8. Swayman went 25-10-8 with a 2.53 GAA and .916 save percentage in 44 games (43 starts). It is unknown, so far, who will start Game 1 and, beyond that, how the Bruins will use their goalies. Maple Leafs: Ilya Samsonov is likely to start for the Maple Leafs. He was 23-7-8 with a 3.13 GAA, .890 save percentage and three shutouts in 40 games, a season so up-and-down he required a break and reportedly considered retirement. He was placed on waivers Dec. 31 and recalled from Toronto of the American Hockey League on Jan. 10. Samsonov has 17 games of postseason experience and is 5-10 with a 3.06 GAA and .902 save percentage, including 4-4 in nine games last season with a 3.13 GAA and .898 save percentage. Behind him is Joseph Woll, who went 12-11-1 with a 2.94 GAA and .907 save percentage in 25 games (23 starts). X FACTORS: Bruins: Thanks largely to Charlie Coyle's NHL career highs in goals (25) and points (60), the Bruins maintained their regular-season dominance after Bergeron and Krejci retired. The 32-year-old has performed well in the playoffs as a third-line center; he had 16 points (nine goals, seven assists) in 24 games during their Cup Final run in 2019 and six points (two goals, four assists) in seven games of the 2022 postseason. But Coyle and fellow center Pavel Zacha will have their most difficult assignment of their playoff careers against Maple Leafs centers Matthews and Tavares. Maple Leafs: Tyler Bertuzzi was elevated to Matthews' line down the stretch and bounced back from a slow start with 21 points (14 goals, seven assists) over his final 26 games. Toronto signed Bertuzzi to a one-year contract to bring a different element to its forward group come postseason time, and he faces his former team after he had 10 points (five goals, five assists) during Boston's seven-game loss to Florida in 2023. Bertuzzi also has a high goal-scoring ceiling considering he had 30 in 68 games for the Detroit Red Wings in 2021-22. WILL WIN IF: Bruins: Their goalie -- or goalies -- play at their best. Both can steal games and they'll need to do exactly that because the Bruins will struggle to match the Maple Leafs goal-for-goal in a high-scoring affair. Maple Leafs: Their offense takes over. Few teams can equal the Maple Leafs in terms of pure scoring potential with the combination of Matthews, William Nylander, Marner and Tavares. If that quartet is scoring in bunches, Toronto takes the series. MORE: https://www.nhl.com/news/boston-vs-toronto-2024-playoff-preview Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morphinity 2.0 Posted April 19 Author Share Posted April 19 The Leafs are still not sure who they are. They haven't had the same lineup for more than 3 games, it feels like. Their defense is shambolic - they have a bunch of vets who have totally lost their game. They have no idea what to expect in goal - Samsonov was almost out of the league at one point, then he was incredible, then he looked shaky at the end. Woll was great before he got hurt, and he hasn't been good since coming back. And then you have their forwards who are also all over the place. Matthews is the only constant on this team. Factor all that in with the fact the Bruins haunt the Leafs' dreams, you've got a recipe for a quick ousting. I'm hoping for fireworks in Toronto after this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted April 19 Share Posted April 19 For all the Leafs faults, and they have an ass load of them, they have the superior offense. They'll win in six. If it goes seven, they lose, and they get nuked this summer. Bs in 4 is a fuckin' vibe tho @Morphinity 2.0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karan Posted April 19 Share Posted April 19 21 minutes ago, Phil said: For all the Leafs faults, and they have an ass load of them, they have the superior offense. They'll win in six. If it goes seven, they lose, and they get nuked this summer. Bs in 4 is a fuckin' vibe tho @Morphinity 2.0 I assumed his cat jumped on his arm and made him accidentally click that, cause...yeah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaveByRichter35 Posted April 20 Share Posted April 20 Bruin's in 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siddious Posted April 20 Share Posted April 20 Easy to shit on the loafs but they’re the better team here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karan Posted April 20 Share Posted April 20 (edited) Head says Leafs in 6, but heart says Bruins in 7 so I ended up voting the latter lol Edited April 20 by Karan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abe Froman Posted April 21 Share Posted April 21 O Canada is such a cool anthem 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abe Froman Posted April 21 Share Posted April 21 I hope the Bruins lose, more than I hope the Maple Leafs win Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abe Froman Posted April 21 Share Posted April 21 I wonder if Samsung is going to have a short night Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted April 21 Share Posted April 21 21 minutes ago, Abe Froman said: I wonder if Samsung is going to have a short night What do you mean? My phone is working fine... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abe Froman Posted April 21 Share Posted April 21 Hank never won a cup, but Maroon won 3. The hockey gods are cruel indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phillyb Posted April 21 Share Posted April 21 Lol 5-1 Boston. It’s only one game but uhhhh lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morphinity 2.0 Posted April 21 Author Share Posted April 21 Wasn't even close last night - obviously from the score, but the Bruins were just better in every way. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunny Posted April 22 Share Posted April 22 What's going on with Nylander? He plays all the final games, and is now out? Don't think he's playing tonight, either. What a disaster. Goaltending also quickly becoming ruinous. I took a whack of Leafs in my hockey pool, as a hedge against their success. Seems unnecessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunny Posted April 22 Share Posted April 22 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morphinity 2.0 Posted April 22 Author Share Posted April 22 Just now, Dunny said: What's going on with Nylander? He plays all the final games, and is now out? Don't think he's playing tonight, either. What a disaster. Goaltending also quickly becoming ruinous. I took a whack of Leafs in my hockey pool, as a hedge against their success. Seems unnecessary. There's no way he "woke up stiff" and is missing two games. There's something super fishy going on here, and I suspect "stiffness" is a part of it, so to speak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted April 22 Share Posted April 22 Just now, Morphinity 2.0 said: There's no way he "woke up stiff" and is missing two games. There's something super fishy going on here, and I suspect "stiffness" is a part of it, so to speak. Viagra, 8 balls, and hooers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morphinity 2.0 Posted April 22 Author Share Posted April 22 1 minute ago, Pete said: Viagra, 8 balls, and hooers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karan Posted April 22 Share Posted April 22 (edited) Toronto got smoked by Tampa Bay 7-3 in Game 1 last year and I think we all recall how that series turned out...so let's not count them out yet. Although tonight's going is going to be key. Even if they don't get the win, they absolutely need to look more competitive and show they can hang with the Bruins. Edited April 22 by Karan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abe Froman Posted April 22 Share Posted April 22 This guy does a nice job with the anthems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phillyb Posted April 22 Share Posted April 22 BOS scores and Leafs answer 24 seconds later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phillyb Posted April 22 Share Posted April 22 Boston scores with less than 10 seconds left in the first. 2-1 lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karan Posted April 22 Share Posted April 22 Refs definitely should definitely get the primary assist on that first Boston goal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dem Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 Toronto seems to realize the playoffs tonight. Don't care who wins. Like all other just want a long grueling series Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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