“Too many penalties,” Auston Matthews says.
BOSTON–Here be creatures. Banshees and Beetlejuice.
Goodness, bollocks.
There was nothing otherworldly or demon-seeded or poltergeisty around the Maple Leafs dropping Diversion 1 to the Boston Bruins on Saturday night, spooked 5-1.
They misplaced the amusement, beyond any doubt, but to begin with they misplaced their composure. And after that they misplaced the plot.
“Too numerous penalties,” Auston Matthews said after Toronto was called for half a dozen infractions and Boston scored twice on the control play. “You provide a group like that openings on the man advantage — obviously that numerous — they’re aiming to capitalize.”
The Leafs were a tad as well amped early, searching for inconvenience. They appeared to be channelling a snotty-nosed alter-ego at the continuously romping, continuously antagonistic TD Cultivate that has been routinely sad for Toronto.
It was national 4/20 Day, no less, when states where cannabis can be lawfully devoured — Massachusetts is one — celebrate dope culture. No weed, to our knowledge, was smoked some time recently, amid or after this experience, in spite of the fact that the Leafs might have needed to suck in a lungful, on the off chance that as it were to require the edge off post-game. A bit of chill might have served them superior within the amusement, as well.
They came out with a nose full of snot and steam, as on the off chance that to appear they aren’t the faint-hearted of yore and have no fear of the Enormous, Terrible Bruins.
Goodness, Ryan Reaves rattled the brainpan of Pat Maroon on his to begin with move, which was Reaves doing his work, to be perfectly honest. But the puck squirted absent, the play shot toward the Toronto zone, and Timothy Liljegren was the as it were defenceman back on the two-on-one, with John Beecher beating Ilya Samsonov five-hole.
But, kindness, it was a raucous and havoc-fueled opening outline between two teams that clearly despise each other bounty, with the Leafs supplanting Montreal as Boston’s generational equal.
“Turnovers through the unbiased zone,” Leafs winger Mitch Marner said. “Obviously we gave them a beautiful great see at the begin of the amusement and they capitalized on it. Once you give them a parcel of control plays, they’re getting to start feeling truly good about their game.”
The Leafs were tattoo-texting the Bruins a reminder within the early going. Any hit you’ll be able toss we will hit harder — there were 75 hits combined by the conclusion of the moment period. But whereas bodies were flying cleared out and right, the Leafs were distant more blameworthy of overthinking the puck in their claim conclusion, turning it over by making one pass as well numerous, getting caught tangle-footed and brain-farting under Boston’s overwhelming forecheck.
Twice within the to begin with period Samsonov was done a strong by the hockey divine beings, protected by a post and a crossbar. But he spared his teammates’ bacon on a few events until it all went pear-shaped for everyone within the moment.
There was nothing off-base with Samsonov’s puck instinctual, in spite of the fact that it ought to be famous that Jeremy Swayman overseen to create the intense spares at the other conclusion.
“We been in this same position final year against Tampa,” Samsonov said. “We have to be accept in each other and adhere together.
“I accept in myself. I accept in my aptitude. I accept in everybody in this locker room.”
But, proceeding a drift that started within the last week of the customary season — four straight misfortunes whereas everyone was holding up for Matthews to score No. 70 ¯ the Toronto offense was to a great extent MIA. The wind eyes for Matthews endured as well:
After side-stepping the Boston protection and with Swayman far out of his net, Matthews rang one off the post.
In what felt just like the flicker of an eye, the play had swung within the other course and Brandon Carlo had beaten Samsonov over the elbow. A match from Jake DeBrusk adjusted out the moment period spree for Boston. David Kampf saved Toronto the lowness of a blanking early within the third, and Trent Frederic scored an empty-netter.
Not that an opening misfortune on the street foretells anything. A part to dispatch the arrangement would be a fine thing for the Leafs, they fabulous absent club that they are, with distant better;a much better;a higher;a stronger;an improved”>a much better record on the voyaging circuit than at domestic.
But in-season patterns do not check for licorice twists within the post-season when all the decks and the propensities have been cleared and the clock reset. Which holds just as genuine for the 4-0 mastery that the Bruins held over Toronto within the standard campaign.
They have their claim evil spirits, the Bruins. They have delighted in the most excellent regular-season record of all NHL teams since the 2020-21 season, however have won just one playoff circular over the past three years, They blew a 3-1 arrangement lead to Florida within the to begin with circular final year after a authentic customary season.
That looks close to as hair-raising for Boston as seven out of eight first-round punts for Toronto, And the Bruins duckwalked into the playoffs, losing to patsies within the stub of the season when they might have seized to begin with in the Atlantic Division.
So take everything that unfurled at the TD Middle with a grain of salt and a dab of undermined doomsaying.
“It’s a game of inches,” Matthews said. “We get a taste of what the arrangement is all about in this diversion and we fair … got to elevate our diversion, put our best foot forward and get better.”