Bruins, Maple Leafs to play Sport 7 for journey to Japanese 2nd Spherical – NHL.com

Boston has defeated Toronto in winner-take-all sport previous 3 instances groups have met
© Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photos
The Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs will play Sport 7 of the Japanese Convention First Spherical at TD Backyard in Boston on Saturday (8 p.m.; ABC, ESPN+, SN, TVAS, CBC).
Toronto pushed the sequence to the restrict by successful Sport 6 at dwelling 2-1 on Thursday.
“If somebody instructed us at first of the season that we’d be [in] Sport 7 at dwelling towards Toronto, we’d take that every one day,” Bruins captain Brad Marchand stated. “So it doesn’t matter the way you get there. We’re there. Gotta present up.”
It’s the fourth straight sequence the groups have performed towards one another that might be determined in seven video games. Boston has received the earlier three (2013, 2018, 2019).
The winner will advance to the Japanese Convention Second Spherical and play the Florida Panthers, who defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in 5 video games of their best-of-7 first-round sequence.
The Bruins (47-20-15), the No. 2 seed from the Atlantic Division, or Maple Leafs (46-26-10), the No. 3 seed, would begin the sequence on the highway towards the Panthers (52-24-6), the No. 1 seed.
“In my thoughts, we simply performed two Sport 7s,” Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe stated. “It’s an elimination sport. … It seems like what we’ve simply gone by way of the place each single play issues. You count on it to be tight. On the finish of the day, all we’ve earned is one other sport on the schedule. Nearly as good as this feels and as happy with the group as you might be for the trouble they’ve put forth and the outcomes they’ve gotten and the way they’ve carried out in these couple video games to earn this subsequent sport, all we’ve achieved is earned that one. So for the primary time now we’ll go into Boston and the whole lot is all the identical by way of each groups going through elimination.”
Boston is 15-15 in Sport 7 in its historical past, together with 14-10 at dwelling. The Bruins misplaced at dwelling to the Panthers 4-3 in additional time in Sport 7 of the primary spherical final season and have misplaced their previous three Sport 7s.
“There’s at all times optimism. There’s the chance to play in a Sport 7,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery stated. “You grew up all of your life wanting … to be part of it. We’ve got an opportunity to be part of it. We’re gonna be in entrance of our nice crowd. It’s extraordinarily loud. And we’ve obtained to go in there and we’ve obtained to dig in.”
Marchand is 6-5 in Sport 7 with seven factors (three targets, 4 assists). Ahead Pat Maroon is 4-3 with a aim and an help. Forwards Charlie Coyle, Jake DeBrusk, James van Riemsdyk and David Pastrnak and defenseman Charlie McAvoy every is 2-3.
Goalie Jeremy Swayman misplaced every of his two Sport 7s, permitting seven targets on 62 pictures (3.34 goals-against common, .887 save proportion). Linus Ullmark has not performed in a Sport 7.
“We’re anticipating their finest. And we’re anticipating our greatest. And that’s what makes Sport 7 so enjoyable and particular,” Swayman stated.
Montgomery is 0-2 in Sport 7.
Toronto is 12-14 in Sport 7, together with 5-11 on the highway. The Maple Leafs misplaced their most up-to-date Sport 7, 2-1 towards the Lightning at dwelling within the first spherical in 2022, and have misplaced their previous 5 Sport 7s.
Defenseman Joel Edmundson is 5-0 in 5 Sport 7, and ahead Ryan Reaves is 4-1. Heart Auston Matthews, forwards Mitch Marner and William Nylander and defenseman Morgan Rielly every is 0-4. Heart John Tavares is 0-3.
Goalies Ilya Samsonov and Joseph Woll have by no means performed in a Sport 7. Martin Jones, who performed 22 video games for the Maple Leafs in the course of the common season however has not appeared within the playoffs, is 3-0 in Sport 7 with a 1.82 GAA, .931 save proportion and one shutout.
Keefe is 0-2 in Sport 7s.
There have been three Sport 7s within the 2023 first spherical, with the highway workforce successful two of them.
“That is why we play hockey. That’s the great thing about the game,” Pastrnak stated. “Sport 7s. Work the entire season so we’ve the benefit of being dwelling. We’re gonna get dwelling and prepare for Sport 7.”
NHL.com employees author Amalie Benjamin and impartial correspondent Dave McCarthy contributed to this report
🔹 Florida Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
🔹 Boston Bruins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
🔹 New York Rangers vs. Washington Capitals
🔹 Carolina Hurricanes vs. New York Islanders
🔹 Dallas Stars vs. Vegas Golden Knights
🔹 Winnipeg Jets vs. Colorado Avalanche
🔹 Vancouver Canucks vs. Nashville Predators
🔹 Edmonton Oilers vs. Los Angeles Kings

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