Who knew that an apparent end to the Boston Bruins dominance would actually end up as maybe their best regular season ever ? Pre-season prognosticators (like me) seemed to agree that without Marchand and McAvoy, an unproven goaltending tandem and that long in the tooth veterans like Bergeron and Krejci just wouldn’t keep up with younger, star-studded teams.
At the hallway point of the NHL season the Bruins have a 9 point advantage over the Leafs and a 15 point lead on their other Atlantic division rivals, the Tampa Bay Lightning. Tonight’s contest saw Auston Mathews back in his regular role, Murray in net, Holmberg and McMann off with sickness and Connor Timmins back in to fill for TJ Brodie.
WOW, what a huge save by Murray less than 2 minutes in off Brad Marchant. Spectacular ! This was followed shortly by just a great, 50 second, old-time scrap between Wayne Simmonds and Nick Foligno…and away we go ! Michael Bunting ended his drought with a superb net snipe from Tavares and Marner on a 5 forward PP. The Leafs looked pretty sharp at this point, winning board battles and the like. As is often the case, a great chance at one end leads to a goal in the opposite. Marchant sent a beauty to Patrice Bergeron to tie things up 1-1 to end the period.
Pierre Engvall, perhaps knowing he’ll soon be shipped elsewhere, made an individual rush early in the second to tie things up. Not long after, David Pasternak intercepted a risky D to D pass across the blueline to break in alone and score his 33rd to tie it right back up. The Leafs started to look rather ragged at this point and at the end AJ Grier went 5 hole to put the Bruins up 3-2. The Boston squad became even more aggressive as the period went on resulting in a brutal shoulder check to Liligren into the boards that sent him to the room. Some of that hostility may have carried over to a rather unpleasant exchange between the 2 clubs as the buzzer blasted. A “hate-on” in the making ?
Austin Mathews did double duty to start the third – first he “bunted” one out of danger in his own end and then followed the play to eventually score the tying goal from Bunting and Marner at 3:17. The Leafs came out fired up and a near miss by Bunting could have easily salted it away. BUT, as always the Bruins came out of nowhere to have a guy named Grizuck knuckle the winner in. 4-3 Boston.
HOOPER NOTES: I apologize for my earlier comment “times up” for Wayne Simmonds…a guy you need on your team…that Bergeron line dominates play 80-90 % of the time…Aex Kerfoot looked pretty good as the 4th line centre -further enhancing his “Swiss Army Knife” rep…fabulous goaltending at both ends tonight ! …will flipping Marner and Nylander be a strategic decision or permanent ? …hey, close game “whata ya goin’ t’do ?…Enjoy your life !