Tonight, the Toronto Maple Leafs meet the top team in the Atlantic Division — the Boston Bruins. The Bruins enter the game eager to build on their recent victory over the San Jose Sharks and test their strength against their regular Atlantic Division rivals the Maple Leafs.
After ending a three-game losing streak with their shutout of the Sharks, the Bruins aim to maintain their success. They put up a strong checking game in their recent 3-0 win.
The Maple Leafs Are Coming Off Some Difficult Recent Wins
The Maple Leafs, on the other hand, are coming off a couple of thrilling wins. Both games went to overtime shootouts. And, in both cases, goalie Joseph Woll shut the door when it counted to pull his team to victory. In the last game against the Seattle Kraken, Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe made some tweaks to the team’s top six. They worked like a charm.
After an eight-game scoring drought, Mitch Marner led the charge with the second hat trick of his career. Marner, who wore a mask after taking a puck to the face earlier in the week, broke his goal drought. You could see the satisfaction expressed on his face because of his improved play. [The fact is that he looked downright frustrated in earlier games with his lack of ability to influence his team’s games positively.]
Related: Maple Leafs Game Review: Woll, Matthews & Timmins
What Fans Should Watch for the Bruins and the Maple Leafs
As the two teams face off, fans should keep an eye to see if the Bruins have the ability to sustain their defensive identity. Until they rediscovered it against the Sharks, it seems to have disappeared. Recently, Danton Heinen has had an impact on the new line with Brad Marchand and Matt Poitras. That could be a focal point in tonight’s game. That line made significant contributions to the team’s recent win.
For the Maple Leafs, the spotlight will be on goaltender Joseph Woll. Ilya Samsonov is ill and unable to play. As a result, Woll will get his third straight start. He has delivered standout performances in his last two games.
Additionally, fans should watch to see if the Maple Leafs can get a lead. Then, if they can start the game strongly, can they hold that lead? They haven’t been strong in those areas this season – thus far. That’s a question for this team. Are the Maple Leafs able to hang onto a third-period lead and avoid late-game gaffs that allow teams to come back?
Can William Nylander get hot again? After a 17-game point streak, he went three games without one. He got an assist in the game on Nov 30th and maybe he can get another streak started.
The Bottom Line in Tonight’s Bruins-Maple Leafs Game
The last meeting between these two teams ended in a shootout victory for the Bruins on November 2. Their long history also adds an extra layer of anticipation to this rematch. With both teams seeking to solidify their position in the Atlantic, tonight’s game promises to be a battle between two good teams.
Next: Maple Leafs Thinking Possible Trade-and-Sign Deal with Flames
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