We’re not really going to do this again, are we?
Just the facts
When: Tonight, 8(ish) PM Eastern
Where: Scotiabank Arena – Toronto, ON
How to follow: NESN, 98.5 The Sports Hub, TBS, MAX
Opposing perspective: Pension Plan Puppets
Know your enemy
- Bruins lead series, 3-2
- Max Domi: 1G-3A-4PTS; Auston Matthews: 1G-2A-3PTS; Matthew Knies: 2G-0A-2PTS
- Joseph Woll: 1-0-0, 0.75 GAA, .970 save percentage
Game notes
- Here we go again! I know you’re all sick of reading it, but just like last year, the Bruins are back on the road for a Game 6 after blowing a chance to close out the series and losing Game 5 in overtime to an Atlantic Division opponent on a game-winning goal by a guy named Matthew. WHEN WILL THE SIMILARITIES END?
- I apologize for the lack of insight, but I truly have no idea what Jim Montgomery is going to do with his lineup tonight. Jeremy Swayman took the loss in Game 5, but he was also outstanding and the only reason the B’s didn’t lose 4-1. Does Linus Ullmark come in? Does Matt Grzelcyk come back out? What about up front? Good luck, Jim.
- The Leafs have fewer question marks in their lineup, as Joseph Woll was outstanding in Game 5. Their question mark, however, is a giant one, as Auston Matthews’ status remains up in the air. Matthews skated on his own on Wednesday, but “he skated today” was the only update offered by Sheldon Keefe. I’m sure there’s a degree of Keefe playing coy, but it sure seems like Matthews might be dealing with something beyond an illness.
- With his OT winner on Tuesday night, Matthew Knies became the Leafs first multi-goal scorer in the series. The Bruins have four guys with multiple goals (Trent Frederic, Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak, Jake DeBrusk).
- Speaking of Pastrnak, he’s running out of time to make his mark in this series offensively. This isn’t to say he’s been the problem, as he has four points, but he hasn’t had the kind of “Pastrnak playoff game” we’ve come to expect over the past few seasons. Game 6 would be a nice time for a solid 2G-1A night. One also has to hope that he doesn’t feel any effects from the shot block off his knee or somewhere in that area in Game 5.
- Pressure is also mounting on his Czech counterpart Pavel Zacha, who has managed just two assists in the series and is below 50% at the faceoff dot. Again, not a player who you’d say has been awful, but someone the B’s could sure use a jolt from in this game.
- Sorry to use the same turn of phrase twice, but speaking of faceoffs: the Bruins, as a team, have the third-worst faceoff win percentage of all 16 playoff teams. The only teams below them are Washington (44.5%, they got swept) and Colorado (44.4%, they’re in the second round). Obviously you can tell from those anecdotes that faceoffs aren’t always a harbinger of team success, but it doesn’t help when you chase possession the majority of the time.
- It’s a little dramatic, but this game could go a long way toward defining Montgomery’s tenure with the Bruins. The team’s performance in Game 5, especially in the first period, was among the worst in recent memory, and while the players deserve most of the blame, Montgomery and Co. aren’t innocent. He invited some pressure with the lineup tinkering last game, and if the team is staring down another Game 7 after what happened last year, the questions will mount.
- The B’s will also need a difference-making performance from their captain, who was disappointingly quiet in Game 5. He seemed to play with more of an edge and more energy in front of the hostile road crowd, but thus far in the series, he’s either been the best player on the ice or nearly invisible.
See ya tonight!