As you are likely well aware, the Toronto Maple Leafs are within one game of knocking out the loathsome, contemptible Boston Bruins.  Can they do it on home ice and bag their first series win since 2004? Sure, why not.

Game 6 starts this afternoon at 3:00 PM, an Easter matinee special.  We’ll have a preview with expected lines out before game time.  Here are some links for you to read this morning.

ICYMI

Leafs Over Bruins Post-Game by Katya Knappe.  Some choice quotes from the Leafs on the key first goal that the Bruins wanted called back. William Nylander keeps the faith.

The Athletic: 10 Leafs-Centric Thoughts by Justin Bourne. I mostly agree with Bourne on his thoughts; the Toronto defence being as competent exiting the zone as it has been has obviously made a huge difference in getting the Leafs to this point.

MLHS: Leafs Push The Bruins To The Brink With Near-Perfect Game 5 Win by Anthony Petrielli.  Being able to win contests like Friday’s is pretty special for a normally high-pace club like the Leafs.

The Athletic: Too Perfect For Their Own Good by Fluto Shinzawa.  I like the kind of perfect where the Bruins lose.

On The Forecheck: Nashville Is One Game Away From Elimination by Hayley Alexandra. For all their vaunted defence, the Preds could not stop the Stars in Game 5, and now they need to win two in a row to get out of Round One alive.

Defending Big D: Goals Galore As Dallas Wins In Nashville 5-3 by Jessica Meyer.  The tone at the Dallas site seems a lot more cheerful for some reason.

NHL.com: Schwartz Has Hat Trick, Blues Top Jets To Win Series In Game 6 The game ends 3-2, the series ends 4-2, both in favour of St. Louis.  A lot of people are favouring the Blues in the west now. It’s hard to argue with how good that team has been in 2019, and I’d take them over whoever wins the Nashville/Dallas series.

JetsNation: It Is (Rather Mercifully) Over by Art Middleton. Winnipeg has been strangely bad by most metrics for several months now, and their defeat at the hands of a resurgent St. Louis is not a huge shock. But now they have to decide where to go from here as a bunch of their players need new contracts—Patrik Laine (RFA), Kyle Connor (RFA), Jacob Trouba (RFA, who apparently wants to leave), Kevin Hayes (UFA, rented at the deadline), and Tyler Myers (UFA), among others.  Big summer ahead.

Oh, and for bonus fun: speculate as to what this Finnish reporter is talking about. Some relevant facts: #55 and #26 are top centre Mark Scheifele and winger Blake Wheeler, who played together much of this year, while Patrik Laine wound up with second-line centre Bryan Little. And the only Finnish players on Winnipeg’s reserve list are Laine and prospect Kristian Vesalainen.

NHL.com: Caps Take 3-2 Lead Over Hurricanes After Carolina absolutely dominated Game 4 to a degree rarely seen, they turned around and got murked 6-0 by Washington in Game 5. I’m cheering for whoever can beat the Isles in Round Two.

Tom Wilson hit former Leaf prospect Greg McKegg. You’re not going to believe this, but somehow the spotlessly clean Wilson got his elbow up into McKegg’s head. A fluke, I am sure.

Would you like a big dumb catchy rock song for some pregame music? Well, here you go.

Go Leafs Go!

From The Branches