Bruins
The Bruins produced their most complete effort of the series on Saturday.
David Pastrnak scored the Bruins’ third and final goal in the team’s Game 4 victory. Matthew J. Lee/Globe team
It’s not just Jeremy Swayman who is creating doubt among the Toronto Maple Leafs.
For the second straight season, the Bruins will return to Boston with a 3-1 series lead. Unlike last year, where they faced a scrappy Florida Panthers team that had nothing to lose, the Bruins will enter this year’s deciding scenario against a team with very little confidence.
The opportunistic Bruins took advantage of Toronto’s turnovers and undisciplined play. They scored first for the third time in the series thanks to James van Riemsdyk’s goal in the opening period. A Mason Lohrei pinch forced Ryan Reaves into an error on Boston’s offensive end, allowing van Riemsdyk to score his first goal since February 17.
On the heels of Max Domi’s embarrassing cross-check on David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand etched his name in the franchise record book. The Boston captain fired a one-timer past Ilya Samsonov for the 56th goal of his playoff career at 8:20 of the middle period.
Marchand accounted for another insurance tally in the final moments of the second, beating TJ Brodie on a loose puck in the slot before finding Pastrnak to complete a 2-on-0 streak.
While Auston Matthews suffered from a nagging illness, Mitch Marner gave a small sign of life after getting around Boston’s D for his first of the playoffs at 5:43 of the third. The Leafs forced the Bruins to scramble a few shifts later, only for William Nylander to commit another ill-advised offensive zone penalty.
The Bruins kept the Leafs in check for the final half of the third to secure their 3-1 victory in front of a disgruntled Scotiabank Arena crowd.
Here’s what we learned from Boston’s convincing Game 4 triumph.
The Bruins produced their most complete effort of the series.
After two spectacular outings, the Bruins decided to shut down their goaltending rotation with Swayman and Linus Ullmark.
Entering Game 4, Swayman had a 5-0 record and a .957 save percentage against the Leafs this season. Even with his supernatural success, the Bruins failed to muster a complete 200-foot effort in the first three games.
This trend changed on Saturday.
The Bruins established many layers in the middle of the ice, giving up very few odd runs and limited secondary scoring offerings. Swayman didn’t face heavy traffic, but he provided more than enough support in the third when his teammates were caught shoving a few times during Toronto’s third-period pushback.
“I just wanted to do my job. I just wanted to pull my end,” Swayman told NESN’s Adam Pellerin after watching his teammates block 26 shots on the night. “You have 23 guys in there doing their job to an absolute T. So, I just wanted to be part of something special.”
The Bruins didn’t need to make a special effort. They simply needed to maintain a simple but effective approach.
Jim Montgomery’s club pounced on turnovers, allowing van Riemsdyk to end a two-month skid between goals. They took advantage of mental lapses in the second period, allowing Marchand to take another step with his power play and later finding Pastrnak to create more separation on the scoreboard.
“This time of year, you have to want to be a part of it and want to make a difference,” Marchand told reporters. “We seem to have that in the group at the moment. Everyone has the confidence and belief that they are going to do their job and make the plays in front of them.
The atmospheres are significantly different on the two benches.
The Bruins supported each other in all areas of the ice to put them one game away from advancing to the second round. Conversely, the Leafs enter Game 5 in desperate need of a modicum of confidence.
Frédéric’s second-period goal in Game 3 changed the course of the series. Instead of dissecting the multiple breakdowns from that Game 3 loss, head coach Sheldon Keefe and the rest of the Leafs focused their attention on Marchand’s trade for former teammate Tyler Bertuzzi and whether Swayman was or was not on Toronto’s mind after his altercation with Domi. .
Little did they know that Marchand or Swayman would become the least of their problems.
The Leafs became visibly frustrated after Marchand’s tally. Nylander and Matthews became angry and loud on the bench, likely questioning Marner’s efforts as he slammed his gloves in disgust. A passionate fan base with little reason to cheer had booed their team out of the building after Pastrnak extended Boston’s lead to 3-0.
Matthews did not return for the final 20 games. Additionally, the Leafs replaced struggling Samsonov with former Boston College goaltender Joseph Woll.
Marner appeared to be out of his rut only to see Nylander, in his first playoff appearance, commit a stunning catch on Jake DeBrusk just as the Leafs had seemingly found their rhythm again.
With two more days between games, the Leafs face even more questions from the aggressive Toronto media about their mental makeup ahead of a must-win Game 5. a core including Nylander, Matthews, Marner, Morgan Rielly and John Tavares.
The Bruins will enter their second straight playoff series with a chance to win their first-round series in five games. They will enter this year’s scenario with a level-headed but balanced approach after last year’s collapse against Florida.
“We’re really excited to come (home),” Swayman told Pellerin. “We are truly grateful to have the best fans in the entire NHL. We are determined to achieve this.
Sign up for Bruins updates🏒
Get the latest news and analysis delivered to your inbox during the hockey season.
Boston
