Bruins failed to match Leafs’ desperation in ugly Game 5 loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
BOSTON — There was no excuse for the Bruins‘ poor start and lack of urgency to begin Game 5 of their first-round playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night.
None whatsoever.
The Bruins could not have asked for a better opportunity to close out the series. They had all the momentum and plenty of confidence after dominating the Leafs in Games 3 and 4 in Toronto to take a 3-1 series lead. Auston Matthews, the Leafs’ best player and the NHL’s leading goal scorer, was unavailable for Game 5. Toronto’s starting goalie, Joseph Woll, had a 0-2-1 record and a .865 save percentage in his career against the Bruins.
The TD Garden crowd was absolutely buzzing at puck drop. And yet, despite the tremendous energy in the building and considering what was at stake, it was the Bruins who looked nervous and not prepared for the moment. The result? A 2-1 loss in overtime that sends this series back to Toronto for Game 6 on Thursday.
Multiple icings, including one that led to the Leafs’ first goal at 5:33 of the opening period, were an issue for Boston early. The Bruins also were obliterated in the faceoff dot, losing 16 of 20 faceoffs in the first period, including 10 of 14 in the defensive zone. Toronto’s first goal came off a faceoff win.
Boston’s puck management in the first period also was not good. Sloppy passes and an inability to clear the defensive zone allowed the Leafs to put tons of pressure on Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman, who was forced to make 11 saves in the opening 20 minutes.
The stats at the end of the first period were shockingly bad for the Bruins. The Leafs had a 30-7 advantage in shot attempts, a 12-2 lead in shots and a 9-2 edge in scoring chances, per Natural Stat Trick. The B’s were very lucky to go into the intermission tied at one goal apiece.
“We weren’t good enough. Simple as that,” Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery said of his team’s slow start. “Toronto came out ready to play and took it to us. We weren’t ready to match their desperation.”
The Bruins knew the Leafs were going to come out with great energy and desperation. Their season was on the line. A loss in this series could potentially result in a shakeup of the Leafs’ roster during the offseason. Instead of folding like many people expected, the Leafs punched back and sent a message with their effort and overall performance.
“The aggression, the assertiveness that we…