The matchup between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins was expected to be among the more physical first-round series of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. It has not disappointed in that regard through the first two games. The Maple Leafs had a 52-51 edge over the Bruins in Game 1, which included a whopping 48 hits between the two clubs in the first period alone. That mark matched the highest total recorded in any period over the entirety of the 2023-24 regular season, equaling a contest between the Maple Leafs and Bruins on March 7. The Bruins hold a 103-97 edge in the hit department going into Game 3 on Wednesday (April 24).
The Maple Leafs have gotten a bit too carried away at times, which could prove to be a troubling trend as the series progresses. However, staying on the body is typically a path to success in what often becomes a war of attrition in the postseason. Striking the right balance between being physical and staying disciplined could go a long way to a lengthy playoff run.
Staying Out of the Penalty Box Needs to Be a Priority
The penalty kill has been a sore spot for the Maple Leafs for the majority of the 2023-24 season. The team finished the regular season 23rd overall with a success rate of 76.9%. That represents the second-worst penalty-kill percentage among teams in the playoffs behind only the New York Islanders, who placed 32nd in the league (71.5%). That lack of success on the penalty kill has followed them into the postseason and was the elixir the Bruins needed to turn around their struggling power play. Despite only scoring three power-play goals on 32 chances in the final 12 games of the regular season, the Bruins netted three goals on six chances in four periods versus the Maple Leafs to begin the playoffs.
Related: Beating Marchand’s Game: Maple Leafs Discipline Can Defeat Agitation
The pair of power-play markers that the Maple Leafs surrendered in Game 1 (April 20) gave the Bruins a 4-0 lead in the second period. The second tally was the result of an undisciplined slash to the wrist delivered by Max Domi to Brad Marchand following a face-off. The Bruins also capitalized on a bad cross-checking penalty by Jake McCabe at the midway point of the second period in Game 2 (April 22). The Maple Leafs were whistled for slashing and roughing infractions by Tyler Bertuzzi and Ilya Lyubushkin, respectively, at the 13:57 mark of the third period in Game 2. That kind of response is exactly what they need to avoid because…
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