The Leafs come into Buttston Boston on a bit of a streak with what is just about their ‘perfect’ roster, I’m sure a lot of us think — Rielly’s back from his injury and Hainsey’s back from his illness.
The Buttheads Bruins meanwhile have been one of the hottest teams in the league for a while now, but will be without Brad Marchand due to suspension. If Tkachuk is the “shitweasel”, Marchand’s the “craprat”.
Will the Leafs continue their recent streak and get one step closer to catching the Bastards Bruins? Let’s find out!
First Period
Babs deciding to match power with power, putting the Auston Matthews line against the Patrice Begeron line. Seems... ambitious.
Mitch Marner is fast.
Seeing the ref kick both teams’ centers out of the faceoff will never not get me angry. DROP THE FUCKING PUCK!!
Fuck the Bruins.
Kasperi Kapanen is also fast.
Matthews is on against Bergeron again. The latter gets a chance off the rush but Frederik Andersen makes it look easy.
Matthews matched up against Bergeron for an offensive zone faceoff. Beregon wins it, Boston takes it into the Leafs’ zone and Bergeron scores from the slot. Matthews got his pocket picked, and Zaitsev got caught in no man’s land choosing between defending the puck carrier driving at the net or Bergeron who was wide open in the slot.
Fuck the Bruins 1, Leafs 0.
Kapanen is still very fast and almost converts on a partial break.
Brandon Carlo gets an interference/slashing penalty and the Leafs are off to the power play.
Leafs waste the first minute just trying to get settled in the zone, but LEAFS SCORE! A Mitchell Marner point shot is deflected twice by the Bruins’ own players into the net. Charlie McAvoy apparently spends too much time watching Kris Russell videos.
Fuck the Bruins 1, Leafs 1.
CBC is apparently trying its best to make use of every possible camera angle during the live play to annoy me.
Morgan Rielly with a GREAT play to break up a Pastrnak-Bergeron led two-on-one. Matthews’ line struggling against them.
Fuck the Bruins.
Nazem Kadri had a good chance in the slot off a great Rielly pass, but Kadri couldn’t get everything on it and Tuukka Rask made a nice kick save.
Leafs play hot potato with the puck constantly throwing it back around their own net, leading to a chance for the Bruins at the side of the net.
Boston’s doing a good job of creating turnovers and turning it back into a lightning-quick counter rush.
Backes rings the puck off the iron right off the faceoff.
Andersen gives us our fourth heart attack of the period handling the puck and had to make an awkward falling save before the period ends.
Leafs hanging in there but Boston has definitely been the better team so far.
First Period Summary
- Leafs were hanging in there for most of the period, but Boston poured it on late and has definitely been the better team so far.
- Fuck the Bruins
- Here’s how the period looks from the numbers:/
- Fuck the Bruins/
Second Period
Gardiner’s been handling the puck like it’s a live grenade all game. His passing has not been good.
Matthews’ line finally gets some pressure in Bergeron’s end.
Brown and JVR play give and go, but JVR was stuck on the backhand and wound up passing/shooting it wide of the net.
Pastrnak actually gets called for goalie interference during LIVE PLAY! Leafs to the PP.
Bozak JUST misses on a rebound. Then Marner hit the post! Bergeron comes back and hits the post! This PP is bedlam. Aaaand Rielly takes a tripping penalty when Boston gets the puck behind the Leaf net.
Dermott with an absolutely BRUTAL backhand pass up the middle of the ice that was intercepted and turned back the other way. He managed to get back, but yeesh...
Bruins to the PP now.
Leafs REALLY starting to look outclassed, and after killing off the penalty and being hemmed in their own zone for a long time they go back to the PK.
Fuck the Bruins.
And almost right away Boston scores. Hainsey couldn’t handle a deflected pass, Pastrnak speeds by him and surprises Freddie with a shot that squeaked by him.
Fuck the Bruins 2, Leafs 1.
Matthews line comes back with some life but can’t put it in off the scramble in front.
JVR has a breakaway broken up by a good play by McQuaid.
Leafs even with the Bruins in shorts for this period, they’ve started turning the play back the other way.
If there’s one thing I’m noticing that’s different between the two teams, it’s that Boston’s passing is better. It was the same in the game vs the Lightning.
Hainsey to the box for interference.... great. Krug scores on a wicked shot.
Fuck the Bruins 3, Leafs 1.
Some minor fun stuff at the end of the period because Zdeno Chara’s large adult diaper apparently needed changing.
Second Period Summary:
- Better period overall at 5 on 5, but the Bruins were still the better team.
- Losing the special teams battle is what’s hurt them.
- Fuck the Bruins./
Third Period
Bit of a neutral zone battle to start the period, nothing real exciting until Kadri draws a penalty. They go to the power play with a chance to get within a goal.
Leafs PP is pretty lifeless. They’re able to set up easily but can never able to really get a good chance. Then Gardiner passed to... no one, and the Bruins almost got a 2 on 1 the other way.
Back to even strength.
Nylander with a chance off a rebound in the slot, but Rask stopped him.
Babcock starting to double shift Matthews with the fourth line.
Noted piece of shit David Backes throws a knee out on Travis Dermott and goes to the penalty box. Hopefully the Leafs can score a goal and Backes has his jock infested with bed bugs.
CBC continuing to drive me nuts with their awful camera angles.
Leafs continue to not generate much on the PP. Back to even strength.
Bruins just locking this game down. They’re not letting the Leafs generate anything. The period has been pretty boring and uneventful.
Carrick turns it over carrying it out at this own line, turns into an odd man rush for the Bruins the other way that just goes by the net.
Leafs pull the goalie with 3 minutes left.
Tim Schaller with the empty net, 4-1.
Game Summary:
The Leafs were simply outclassed. They had their ‘optimal’ lineup, the Bruins did not (though a couple guys have been hurt or sick until this game). The Bruins dominated at even strength, with around a 65 CF% for almost the whole game. They were better than the Leafs at special teams. There wasn’t really a point in the game where the Bruins did not look in control.
It’s hard to really blame anyone for a game like this, every line of the Bruins simply shut everything down. Leafs can hopefully learn something from the game and realize where they need to get better. I’d start with passing.
