Recap: Bruins fall flat, drop Game 5 in 2-1 OT loss to Maple Leafs

Back to Toronto.

The Boston Bruins couldn’t close out their first round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs Tuesday at the TD Garden, falling 2-1 in overtime as the Leafs stave off elimination and shift the series back to Toronto.

“We weren’t good enough, simple as that,” Jim Montgomery said. “Toronto came out ready to play and we weren’t ready to match their desperation.”

The Bruins had a hard time getting any offensive going in the first period and were limited to only two shots on net.

They fell behind 1-0 in the first few minutes of the game as Jeremy Swayman was screened as Jake McCabe fired toward net. But then the Bruins answered back as the third like forced a turnover and the loose puck made its way to Trent Frederic out front to tie the game.

It remained a tie for the remainder of the game. Despite the Bruins showing more life in the third period, it was too little too late for the team who spent too much time on the defensive and not enough sustained offensive-zone pressure.

Here are the game’s highlights:

First period:

The Maple Leafs took the lead at 5:33 of the first period.

After the faceoff, McCabe threw a long snap shot on net which traveled through traffic out front to beat Jeremy Swayman. 1-0 Maple Leafs.

The Bruins tied the game at 13:54 of the first period.

Pat Maroon and Jesper Boqvist forced a turnover in the corner. Maroon got the puck loose and threw the puck out front to find Trent Frederic in the slot for a quick shot past Joseph Woll’s glove. 1-1 game.

Second period:

No goals

Third period:

No goals

Overtime:

The Maple Leafs ended the game at 2:26 of overtime.

Matthew Knies picked up the loose puck out front from John Tavares attempt to put a high shot past Swayman’s stick. Final score: 2-1 Maple Leafs.

Game notes

• It’s hard to exactly pinpoint where the main problem lies in Game 5 for the Bruins when they look back at this game because a lot of it was flat or poorly executed for them — starting out the gate not being about to match Toronto’s desperation. But then there was only one power play opportunity — to which they got no shots on goal — and where they’ve been so strong this series. The loss was the collective result of so many turnovers and a lack of effort to close out a series.
• You can’t help but wonder if Montgomery had kept the Game 4 lineup if tonight’s results would have been the same. Did he make too many tweaks to the lineup? Matt Grzelcyk had some rough play during the game, but then really good moments at the same time. Same went for Justin Brazeau. But the lineup wasn’t broken before this.
• Whether it was bad ice or not, the Bruins had probably their worst period of the series in the first. There was sloppiness to start the game with fumbling the puck around. The Bruins spent a substantial amount of the period in the defensive zone and couldn’t sustain any offensive pressure.
• The Bruins only had two shots in the first while the Maple Leafs had 12, but they still managed to come out of the first tied, scoring on only their second shot of the game.
• The lack of offensive momentum carried over into the second period. Again, defensive zone turnovers racked up and the B’s just couldn’t get the put out of their zone.
• While the offense couldn’t generate chances, one thing which was a silver lining was Swayman’s play which kept it a tie game through nearly two and a half periods. With his performance, making 31 saves and big time stops on 2-on-1s after again, turnovers, or stopping a few shots in a row on the penalty kill. His save on Morgan Rielly kept it a tight game.
• “We saw an opportunity that we missed and we’re not going to let that happen again,” Swayman said postgame. “Motivation is completely internal and it’s contagious in this locker room. we’ll be a different team comes Thursday.”
• If there’s another positive takeaway from the game it’s how Frederic is playing. He nearly had a two-goal game, just missing in the third period.
• That missed opportunity is obviously not being about to close out the game on home ice, and do it while Auston Matthews is also out of the lineup.
• The Bruins will now head to Toronto for Game 6 on Thursday at 8 p.m. for another chance to advance.