Recreation 4 takeaways: Particular groups propel Bruins to 3-1 sequence lead in the beginning seemed on NBC Sports activities Boston
The Toronto Maple Leafs haven’t any extra space for error. They’ve been driven to the threshold of removing with a 3-1 loss to the Boston Bruins in Recreation 4 in their first-round Stanley Cup playoff sequence Saturday night time at Scotiabank Area.
James van Riemsdyk opened the scoring for the Bruins within the first era. It used to be his first objective since Feb. 17 and snapped a 21-game scoring drought. Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak each scored in the second one era, and Jeremy Swayman made 25 saves in every other superb effort in web.
The Bruins lead the sequence 3-1 and can have an opportunity to punch their price ticket to the second one around Tuesday night time in Recreation 5 at TD Lawn.
Boston additionally has received seven consecutive Recreation 4s as opposed to Toronto. Sooner than we look forward to the following matchup, listed below are 3 takeaways from Bruins-Leafs Recreation 4.
Brad Marchand torments Leafs once more
The Bruins captain led his workforce to a Recreation 3 victory on Wednesday night time with 3 issues (two targets, one lend a hand) together with the successful tally within the 1/3 era. He performed even higher in Boston’s Recreation 4 win.
The Leafs had completely no resolution for Marchand in any aspect of the sport Saturday. It used to be simply overall domination via the veteran left wing.
Marchand doubled Boston’s merit in the second one era with a power-play objective. He handed Cam Neely to grow to be the franchise’s all-time chief in playoff targets with 56 in consequence.
Marchand additionally compelled a turnover overdue in the second one era and fed a pleasing cross to David Pastrnak to finish a 2-on-1 rush and put the Bruins up 3-0.
Marchand completed with one objective, one lend a hand, two photographs, 3 hits and 3 blocked photographs in 21:22 of ice time. He has 8 issues (3 targets, 5 assists) in 4 video games this sequence, together with more than one issues in 3 of the 4 matchups.
That is the time of the 12 months when your very best and maximum skilled avid gamers need to step up and give a contribution. The Bruins captain is main the best way together with his certain affect in all scenarios.
Bruins’ particular groups dominance has been No. 1 distinction maker
There are lots of explanation why the Bruins have a 3-1 lead on this sequence, and their stellar efficiency at the penalty kill is lovely a long way up on that listing, if now not No. 1.
The Leafs had the No. 7 ranked chronic play within the common season — a unit loaded with celebrity forwards equivalent to Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander. However this team has seemed totally misplaced and useless in opposition to the Bruins’ disciplined penalty kill.
The Bruins went 3-for-3 at the penalty kill in Recreation 4. This unit is now 13-of-14 within the sequence. Boston has executed a perfect process blocking off photographs, successful puck battles alongside the forums and breaking apart passes whilst shorthanded. Should you return to remaining season, the Leafs have scored on simplest certainly one of their remaining 20 playoff chronic performs.
Now not simplest have the Bruins ruled at the penalty kill, they have got additionally scored six instances in 4 video games at the chronic play. Boston’s 6-1 objective differential on particular groups is the variation within the sequence at the moment.
Swayman remains unbeaten vs. Leafs
The Bruins opened the sequence alternating between Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark because the beginning goalies in the course of the first 3 video games. The rotation ended — no less than for now — in Recreation 4 when Swayman changed into the primary B’s netminder to make back-to-back begins since he did it Feb. 19-21.
It used to be the proper choice via Bruins head trainer Jim Bernard Law Montgomery. Now not simplest has Swayman owned the Leafs over the past two seasons — a 6-0-0 file with a .959 save proportion, together with the playoffs — there used to be an additional day of leisure between Video games 3 and four.
Swayman rewarded his trainer’s believe via giving the Bruins every other stellar efficiency. He made 25 saves on 26 photographs for his 1/3 win of the sequence. His very best prevent got here on a perfect scoring likelihood via Leafs celebrity William Nylander proper after Mitch Marner had given Toronto some lifestyles with a third-period objective. Swayman prolonged his proper pad to disclaim Nylander and maintain Boston’s 3-1 merit.
The Leafs made a tight push within the 1/3 era, however Swayman stood his floor and did a perfect process finding pucks thru visitors. He seemed calm and poised in web all sport.
Swayman is now 3-0-0 with a .957 save proportion and a 1.25 GAA on this sequence. There is no such thing as a goalie enjoying higher than Swayman in all the playoffs at the moment.
Recreation 5 does not happen till Tuesday, because of this there may be an additional day of leisure for Swayman to recuperate. The Bruins may just give him a 3rd directly get started with an opportunity to near out the sequence, or they may return to Ullmark and save you him from getting rusty. There may be actually now not a nasty choice for Bernard Law Montgomery to make bearing in mind his workforce has the posh of a 3-1 sequence lead.