First Period

Calle Järnkrok with a big hit on Brad Marchand to make us all happy.

Long, long cycle in their own zone ends with a Joe Woll save.

Some common themes here – hits on the boards that look busy, but the opposing player can easily move the puck to someone. No one able to intercept passes, they just chase in circles.

The opening TSN panel talked about this – this is the root of the Leafs' problems, and the solutions aren't complex.

Jake McCabe knocks over Jake DeBrusk and then he goes for Marchand. That was... excessive. Crosscheck to the throat in both cases.

Needless to say, none of that was a solution.

McCabe gets two and Matt Knies gets two, possibly for having a number similar to 22. McCabe should have had two distinct penalties, so the outcome is the same.*see the explanation lower down for what should have happened.

David Pastrnak, of course

1-0 Bruins

Total self sabotage by the Leafs. Well, by McCabe really.

The puck nearly scores itself off a bounce. It lands on Woll's skate.

Another long cycle in the defensive zone, stopped again by Woll and no one else.

Matt Knies goes off after a collision he didn't see coming. He did not return to the game.

Lyubushkin does the classic pass it towards the bench on a change, and it's too many men!

Most of the penalty will be in the second period.

Thoughts

By engaging in constant board battles that don't return them the puck, the Leafs are hemming themselves in through hard work. A true lunch-bucket failure.

They have had zero meaningful offence so far.

Second Period

Broadcast explains that the McCabe penalty should have been four minutes of five-on-four, not a five-on-three. Likely true. Too late now.

Boston doesn't do much on their power play and we're back to the same game as the first period.

Charlie MacAvoy writhing after a shotblock to the groin area.

Nylander bobbles the puck trying to decide what to do with it. In that fateful place – the blueline. Trent Frederic makes no mistake.

2-0 Boston

Joe Woll does not have this at all.

Charlie Coyle cross-checks Tyler Bertuzzi about seventeen times, and finally draws blood.

Coyle gets two minors for the earlier penalty and one cross-check, and the bleeding just doesn't count. It should be six minutes.

Marner gets one back.

Nice pass from Liljegren.

2-1 Boston

Frederic takes a penalty on Matthews, so another power play for the Leafs.

I don't know why this power play involves trading rush chances, but it does.

Bertuzzi talks Wotherspoon into a fight. Bertuzzi is, uh, not a guy you should fight. No theatre there, all business.

Marner has an open net and doesn't shoot, and then he falls awkwardly.

Leafs take a penalty and the Bruins pile in on everyone. Linesman won't let Reaves kill a guy.

Mike Johnson thinks the Leafs are doing better at breaking up the play in their own end and turning the play. We'll see at the end of the period if that resulted in any offence.

John Tavares takes a high-sticking penalty barely into the Gregor, et al penalties. They were at four-on-four, so this is a four-on-three.

Connor Geekie get the Bruins lead back to two.

3-1 Boston

You can't watch this game and not feel even more strongly that something more than depth defence insurance would genuinely improve this team.

Jake McCabe seems like he would have been better off in bed forcing fluids than on the ice.

Woll lets one in from the blueline.

4-1 Boston

Woll just has not been good in either Boston game, but this is a grade-A stinker of a goal to allow.

Thoughts

Well, Woll didn't give up two on the first two good chances, but he got to 4 against all the same.

While that's a tepid improvement over the first period, it's not one worth celebrating.

Absent from impacting this game: Nylander, Tavares and Matthews. Marner for all but about two shifts, as well.

Third Period

Oh, I don't know, how about some top line action?

Bertuzzi induces the Bruins to be Bruin-esque right off the faceoff. Leafs with a power play.

Max Domi mugs Marchand, who will never fight back like Wotherspoon did. Domi is going to the box on his own.

The Leafs pretend briefly they have a goal, but it was kicked in.

Domi mugs MacAvoy this time and tries to make him fight.

Frederic tries to go for Nylander and blue train rolls down on him.

Thoughts

The Leafs put all their energy into the wrong things and none of their offensive stars had anything to offer.

The PK sucked so hard, I'm looking forward to Joel Edmundson.

Next game is Saturday in Montréal, and after that there's a much-needed four-day break. (Not just needed by me.)

Game Coverage