Eastern Conference First Round: (2) Boston Bruins vs (3) Toronto Maple Leafs

[Feenom]

Woll was solid and Leafs win a gut check game. Now if they could only win at home.

[Chuk]

The Tavares signing completely blew apart their entire cap. Can't pay your 2C more than your stud 1st OV 1C. Which led to the Marner overpay. Impossible for anyone to know for sure, but I firmly believe the Matthews and Marner contracts look completely different without the Tavares signing.

True. But you always overpay for UFAs and the concern at the time was that they needed a Captain to deal with the media pressure. I would have liked the GM to have used this logic when negotiating future contracts. At the time JT's numbers and accomplishments dwarfed those of our young players. The hope was that they would have been in the cup finals before JTs decline.... and then the last years would be more of a thank you. If Mathews and Marner took a deal like Nylanders, maybe they could have built a more complete team?

Go leafs.

[hockeyrobot]

Woll was solid and Leafs win a gut check game. Now if they could only win at home.

Huge win. Although I feel like they've been pretty consistent at winning when the fan base has no hope and then following it up with disappointment in the next game.

[2014olympicgold]

The most Leafs thing to do would be win game 6 without Matthews and lose game 7 with him.

I'd also like to point out 2 funny things:
- Marchand took his first penalty yesterday and it was a coincidental minor lol
- Lyubushkin hasn't been on the ice for a 5on5 goal against, and is 2nd on the team in points with 3.

[Axeman33]

Domi had a solid game last night. The Bruins were just flat for the first half of that game. No urgency to do anything and Swayman was the only reason they were still in that game and went to OT. Woll had a good 2nd half once the Bruins finally woke up. Both goalies played excellent IMO.

Can Toronto show that same urgency in game 6 at home or will the Bruins show they want to win this. That will be the question.

[Eskimo Brother]

Domi had a solid game last night. The Bruins were just flat for the first half of that game. No urgency to do anything and Swayman was the only reason they were still in that game and went to OT. Woll had a good 2nd half once the Bruins finally woke up. Both goalies played excellent IMO.

Can Toronto show that same urgency in game 6 at home or will the Bruins show they want to win this. That will be the question.

Domi was solid last night, but definitely forced a few passes - like the 2 on 1 with Bert where you could tell he was looking pass the whole time.

[2014olympicgold]

Domi was solid last night, but definitely forced a few passes - like the 2 on 1 with Bert where you could tell he was looking pass the whole time.

That was so obvious I could have read that as a goalie lol. Guy didn't even shift into a possible shooting position during that whole sequence.

I just saw Marner was the 4th fastest Leaf to 50 playoff points. He did it in 55GP behind Gilmour (31), Sittler (47) and Sundin (53)

[Invictus]

I really thought Domi was going to switch it up at the last second and shoot, thinking he was over selling that pass way too much / it will never work. A shot was the only thing that might work.

[Axeman33]

Domi was solid last night, but definitely forced a few passes - like the 2 on 1 with Bert where you could tell he was looking pass the whole time.

Ya, definitely too pass happy in times where a shot would have been the better choice.

[doulos]

I'm finding myself cheering for the Leafs right now. Weird feeling but it is what it is!

[Invictus]

I was cheering for them last night. It’s much more entertaining watching them lose in a game 7. I’m also not interested in seeing the Bruins win so 7 game series to keep them tired is great.

[RizzeeDizzee]

I was cheering for them last night. It’s much more entertaining watching them lose in a game 7. I’m also not interested in seeing the Bruins win so 7 game series to keep them tired is great.

I do kind of feel like this is a battle to see who gets chewed up and spat out by the Panthers.......

[blayze]

Last night was one of the most enjoyable Leaf games I've seen in a long time. Gritty effort all round.

Great Woll of China was incredible. **** Samsonov.

[hockeyrobot]

Great Woll of China was incredible. **** Samsonov.

Ilya is four letters too.

[2014olympicgold]

Boston has recalled Michael DiPietro (G) on an emerg. loan stint. I believe they were the only team running only 2 goalies in the playoffs, and Providence has a playoff game today, but DiPietro last played April 13th (didn't play in the last 4 regular season games, which included a B2B). So It's not like he was a part of the Providence Bruins plans it seems.

Prolly Swayman a bit banged up, team is traveling to Toronto, and the team needs someone to be in net during practice. Just a guess.