At TD Garden on Saturday night, the Boston Bruins performed how they were expected to. The Maple Leafs of Toronto did not.
Regardless of how we interpret the events of Game 1 of the best-of-seven between the two clubs, the Maple Leafs’ inability to play to their identity was what set them apart from pucks on the ice and the Bruins on the scoreboard.
The first goal of the game was a combination between Johnny Beecher and Jesper Boqvist, set loose by Pat Maroon, the newest fan favorite in Boston.
Identity verification: velocity.
Verify identity with opportunism.
Combined, these talents have contributed significantly to the Bruins’ offensive success this season. Jake DeBrusk’s game also featured speed and opportunism at the perfect moment. Every time Jim Montgomery sent Jakub Lauko over the boards on a hunting trip, it manifested itself.
Identity check: The Toronto Maple Leafs had frustration in their game, whereas the Boston Bruins had glue. Left-side players Matt Grzelcyk (17:04, no goals against) and Hampus Lindholm (assist, game-best plus-3 in 20:09 ice time) were crucial to the Bruins’ comeback and breakout performance. They were both quite smart.
Like any significant game, there were incidents and turning points in Game 1.
Before the Bruins established a rhythm, Jeremy Swayman (35 saves) made two key stops in the east end. Once they did, Boston’s first shot was a goal by Beecher, and there was no turning back.
Ilya Samsonov (19 saves on 23 shots) was forced to move from left to right at the west end in an attempt to stop Beecher’s shot, but his defender caught him in that shifting position.
The next danger for Toronto came from a Calle Jarnkrok partial breakaway that Swayman stopped.
Auston Matthews grabbed a puck that Swayman left his crease to chase after he collided with Charlie McAvoy in the second period, sending the Boston defenseman to the ground. Matthews’ long-range wrist shot, albeit at an acute angle, pinged the far post. A game that was only an inch from being tied at one point became two minutes later when Brandon Carlo’s right-point attempt slipped through a labyrinth.
The Canadian television program “That’s Hockey” has been producing scenes similar to this for quite some time.
In the first period, the Bruins also scored goals against posts.
It wouldn’t take long for Matthews’ inadvertent stick in McAvoy’s face to ruin Toronto’s next offensive drive. At that moment, hellraisers Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi were giving the Leafs their best cycling of the evening.
What takes place? The first of two powerplay goals for DeBrusk.
By the time the score reached 3-0, all of the cautious plays, pucks that bounced and spun, and near-misses started to blend into a larger picture of this game.
Samsonov’s biggest stop of the game came late in the second period, deflecting a low stick on David Pastrnak, who had an excellent, if statistically understated, game overall. No matter how much the Leafs managed to contain Pastrnak, there was no denying his impact on the game. Every time he played, he posed a threat, and the tension he generated cannot be disregarded.
The Toronto Maple Leafs only occasionally played to their identity; overall, the Boston Bruins played to theirs.
Tomorrow night is Game 2 at TD Garden.
The Leafs lost Game 1 of last year’s playoff series quite comfortably (7-3), even though they had defeated the Lightning in the first round. Five fights totaled in Games 2 and 3, all of which Toronto won. Three of those fights took place in Game 2 and two more in Game 3. Matthews and a 39-year-old Mark Giordano were among the combatants.
With his ceremonial push of Toronto defenseman Timothy Liljegrenāskates in the air, heads and shoulders over the Boston benchāMaroon raised the hair on Ryan Reaves’ back. Reaves attempted to mimic a bowling ball during the following shift, hitting the Bruins like pins.
However, those are incidental moments; more likely, Domi and Bertuzzi will be observed while Toronto gets ready for a countermove. These are the players in this series who, in the first game, disrespectfully targeted Brad Marchand and McAvoy, respectively.
Jim Montgomery won’t alter his lineups to include Trent Frederic as a deterrent, much less forward lines that are gelling so nicely. He is going to let Game 2 go. It has been Monty’s approach.
For example, the Bruins’ left-handed faceoff game is at its best this season; why muck around with matchups? Boqvist was 2-1, Beecher was 6-4, and Pavel Zacha was 10-3.
Montgomery intends to delegate line modifications to Sheldon Keefe, the coach. William Nylander, the fastest skater on both teams and a guy worth a lot of money who should have an influence on the series, will hopefully suit up for Toronto.
In the past, a best-of-seven playoff series’ victor has been determined by the results of Games 2 and 3, although the team making significant changes in a postseason series almost invariably loses that series.
Awaiting any news on injuries, expect to see Swayman back in the Boston net and in the same exact lineup.
Anticipate Keefe to give the same group another opportunity to perform better and see if the Leafs can take the leadāsomething that would have been quite likely in Game 1 if Swayman hadn’t been injuredābefore observing how the game pans out. The Leafs will concentrate on the puck if such is the case. The gloves should hit the ice if not.
Keefe is much more likely to fail in Boston again and not make any significant adjustments in Game 3.
Following the first game, Marchand stated that the Boston Bruins could accomplish certain things more effectively.
When watching from the tenth floor of TD Garden, where the ice hockey seems more like a chess board than a magnificent storm, one of those things is undoubtedly puck-play decisions made on the attacking blue line.
To their credit, the Maple Leafs were ready for some of the Bruins’ zone entries. On multiple occasions, the Bruins appeared ill-prepared for a confrontation at the blue line and attempted to improvise the entry, which increased the risk of turnovers, rather than recognizing coverage and making a strong play to dump the puck behind the Toronto defense to a specific corner. At least two of the ensuing gaffs would find their way into Boston’s net by a more skilled opponent. Tomorrow night, Toronto wants to be that team.
Lastly, it would be simple from the perspective of the Bruins to write off Game 1 and point to all the series they have won that started on home ice in recent years, only to lose those series in the end. However, a lot of those series included peculiar first-round performances, bounces, bad calls, mediocre efforts, and a feel-out process.
The series opener on Saturday was none of the above. It was fought between two teams that are nearly too familiar with one another.
In this series, game one is important. It is unquestionably a component of the linked pathway leading to an outcome.
Even though you need to win the series, Game 1 won’t be remembered as a feel-good, forgettable series opener because the Boston Bruins, in contrast to the Toronto Maple Leafs, successfully stayed true to who they are.