Go big or go back to Toronto.
Just the facts
When: Tonight, 7PM
Where: TD Garden — Boston, Mass.
How to follow: NESN, ESPN, 98.5 The Sports Hub
Opposing perspective: Pension Plan Puppets
Know your enemy
- 1-3-0, Bruins lead series 3-1
- Max Domi: 1G-2A-3PTS; Auston Matthews: 1G-2A-3PTS; Tyler Bertuzzi: 1G-2A-3PTS
- Ilya Samsonov: 1-3-0, 3.31 GAA, .883 save percentage
Game notes
- The Boston Bruins are return to the TD Garden with a shot to close out their first round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight in Game 5. It feels like we’ve been here before – coming back home up 3-1 a series. But they’re looking for a different outcome then what happened last year.
- Jim Montgomery and Charlie Coyle spoke after practice and noted how hard it can be to close out a series, and know the Maple Leafs are going to be playing for their season tonight. “We have to match their desperation,” Montgomery said.
- Joseph Woll played a bit of Game 4, stopping the five Bruins’ shots of the third period. It will be curious to see if the Maple Leafs decide to mix things up and give Woll the start over Samsonov in Game 5. In the regular season, Woll went 12-11-1.
- But if the Bruins’ special teams keep at it, they have a stronger chance of coming away with the win and advancing. This series, the B’s are 46.2% on the power play going six for 13. The Leafs are 7.1% on the man-advantage, as the Bruins’ PK has also done its job. They’ve only scored once on the power play in four games.
- Justin Brazeau and Derek Forbort are both “options” to get back into the lineup, Jim Montgomery said after yesterday’s practice. Whether they make it in or not for Game 5 is undetermined. Can’t really seeing Montgomery tweaking the lineup with the chance to close it out, but having healthy bodies back and available is always good. Brazeau entering the lineup is more of a possibility than Forbort, but why fix something that isn’t broken yet.
- The Bruins’ top players have showed up, while guys like Matthews have been quiet this series and the B’s will look to keep it that way tonight. Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak and Jake DeBrusk have combined for eight of the B’s 14 goals through four games.
- Brad Marchand has dominated this series, leading with eight points on three goals and five assists. On the Leafs side, the highest point getters have only one goal each with two assists.
- Practice updates: Marchand and Heinen both had maintenance days yesterday. For Toronto, Matthews didn’t practice. In his absence, their top line consisted of Domi, Bertuzzi and Mitch Marner.
- See ya tonight!