Bruins Fall 2-1 in Game 5

There is nothing like playoff hockey. It can be exhilarating, frustrating, physical, and disappointing. For the Boston Bruins, who returned to Boston tied 2-2 in the series with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Game 5 was disappointing when the final horn sounded.

For much of the game, it was a battle of wills between two elite goalies. Tuukka Rask stood strong in net, especially when the Maple Leafs were outshooting the Bruins, to give his teammates every opportunity possible through the first almost 52 minutes. Frederik Andersen did the same for the Leafs, denying the Bruins any chances through 59 minutes.

The big question for the Bruins through has to be “Where was the energy?” They were skating, but there were a lot of mistakes that eventually caught up to them. Through two periods they had three power play opportunities that they simply couldn’t convert. Their top line seemed to be a bit discombobulated. Coupling that with some missed passes from the other lines, and Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy ultimately had to shorten his bench and shake up some of his lines.

This was not the Bruins who took to the ice on Wednesday night in Game 4. And it is not the team that grabbed the win in Game 2 either. While certainly Toronto has done a lot of things right and they are a skilled and quick team, the Bruins inability to transition out of their end at times has become somewhat of an Achilles’ heel in this series.

As the teams went into the third period, it perhaps shouldn’t have been surprising that whichever team was able to get that first goal would ultimately take the game. The first period saw the Maple Leafs marginally outshoot Boston 7-6, though nine minutes into the period it was all Toronto, as they had five shots to Boston’s one at that point. The faceoffs were 64% for the Leafs and 36% for the Bruins. Through two periods, the shots on goal were 16-15 in favor of Toronto, though the middle frame was even at nine each. Meanwhile the faceoffs had switched in favor of the Bruins, who were at 57% to Toronto’s 43%. Additionally, the Bruins had three opportunities at the man advantage in those two periods.

As the Bruins took a too many men on the ice penalty 7:14 into the third period, a penalty they were able to firmly kill, it looked like things could have been heading in favor of Boston. Two minutes after making that kill though and Toronto would break through getting the first goal of the game at 11:33 of the third. Coach Cassidy used his challenge believing that Rask was interfered with, but the call on the ice was upheld. It didn’t result in a watershed of goals for Toronto, but blood had been drawn, so to speak.

“We had chances to get the first goal. When it’s a long-tied game, sometimes the one goal is what you need, and we didn’t get it first,” said David Pastrnak.

Was Rask interfered with? This question may be unanswerable, as few who watch these games seem to know what constitutes goaltender interference anymore. While Toronto now weighs in on any such challenge, it hasn’t made this penalty—or lack thereof—any clearer. Perhaps the NHL should consider adopting the European approach of no one being allowed in the blue paint.

“I just felt the contact so I went after the ref there, let him know that there was contact. I don’t – they looked at it, so it’s a goal. I mean, I just saw him, he had the puck, as soon as he passed it he kind of like bumped into my head and then that was it. But, you know, I mean I trust that they get them right.,” Rask described.

Of course, there was still plenty of time for the Bruins to tie things up, but Toronto persisted, keeping them to the outside. Meanwhile the Bruins continued to fan on shots, make blind passes that resulted in the puck often ending up on the stick of an opposition player, and in many ways stray from their game.

“We’ve had better games. I don’t think either team was great, but it was the difference of one play. Game is over now, worry about the next one,” Brad Marchand shared. Indeed, the Boston Bruins need to shelve any feelings about the loss on Friday night and get back to playing a simple, hard fought game, because they will be in Toronto playing with everything to lose. Sunday’s afternoon game is a do or die situation. Win or go home.