Bruins at Maple Leafs
Almost left for dead after the first two games of their Eastern Conference first-round series, the Toronto Maple Leafs have a chance to level the best-of-seven set when they host the Boston Bruins in Game 4 on Thursday night. The Maple Leafs absorbed a pair of beatings at Boston's TD Garden by a combined 12-4 score, but reversed the momentum with a 4-2 home win on Monday night.
With only four teams in history having come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a series, Toronto coach Mike Babcock was keenly aware of the importance of winning Game 3 and understands his team needs a similar performance Thursday. “If we didn’t have success, I thought we were probably going to be done,” Babcock said. “(Now), you win one, you’re in a best-of-three. We’re set up real good that way. ... You still want to be in a better situation and be in the driver’s seat. So it’s important for us to even it up.” The Bruins did not exactly roll over Monday at Air Canada Centre, pouring 42 shots on goal, and acknowledged they didn't expect to steamroll the Maple Leafs at will the entire series. "You want to limit their chances, their opportunities as much as you can," Boston defenseman Charlie McAvoy said. "We've been able to do that. But they were going to break through at some point. Fine, we get that game out of the way and get refocused and get ready for Game 4."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, NESN (Boston), CBC, TVAS (Toronto)
ABOUT THE BRUINS: Boston's top line of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak was all the rage in the opening two games, combining for a collective 20 points, but the unit was blanked in Game 3. “Clearly, it’s going to give them some motivation and it should when you keep them off the scoresheet," Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. "At the end of the day, I don’t think it will bother them one bit, and in fact, they might bear down a little bit more." Pastrnak, who had six points in Game 2, has six goals and seven assists in seven meetings versus Toronto this season.
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS: While Boston's top line dominated the first two games, Toronto's No. 1 unit was floundering by being held off the scoresheet, but star forward Auston Matthews provided the biggest moment for the Maple Leafs by netting the tiebreaking goal in Game 3. "Mats scoring that goal was a relief for him, but also a relief for our bench, the whole Toronto fan base," forward Mitch Marner said. "That goal was massive for our team." Frederik Andersen allowed eight goals in four periods in the first two contests, but his 40 saves Monday were his highest total since Feb. 20.
OVERTIME
1. Marner had two assists Monday to give him 13 points in seven games versus Boston this season.
2. Bruins rookie D Matt Grzelcyk is expected back in the lineup after sitting out Game 3.
3. Maple Leafs F Patrick Marleau scored twice in Game 3 to boost his playoff total to 70 goals, tying Steve Yzerman for 16th on the all-time list.