Leafs @ Bruins - Apr. 21st, 8:00pm - CBC, TSN 1050

[CarltonTheBear]

@

  49-26-7, 105 points | 50-20-12, 112 points
BOS leads 3-1

Projected Lines

Hyman-Matthews-Nylander Marleau-Kadri-Marner JvR-Bozak-Brown Johnsson-Plekanec-Kapanen Rielly-Hainsey Gardiner-Zaitsev Dermott-Polak Andersen ​

Marchand-Nash-Pastrnak DeBrusk-Krejci-Nash Heinen-Kuraly-Backes Schaller-Acciari-Wingels Chara-McAvoy Krug-Miller Grzelcyk-McQuaid Rask​

Scratches

Connor Carrick Leo Komarov Josh Leivo Matt Martin Dominic Moore ​

Brian Gionta Patrice Bergeron Ryan Donato Nick Holden ​

Game Notes

TOR
?Andersen will start for the Leafs
?Kadri's suspension is over and he'll be returning to the line-up. No update on what that means for the lines but I'm assuming they'll revert back to what they were prior to the suspension
?The Leafs are of course facing elimination tonight

BOS
?Rask will start for the Bruins
?Bergeron skated at practice for the Bruins yesterday, but there's no word yet if he'll be playing in Game 5

Injuries

?Nathan Horton - Back - Out indefinitely ?Joffrey Lupul - Actually Injured - Out indefinitely ?Leo Komarov - Lower Body - Questionable Saturday​

?Brandon Carlo - Ankle - Out for season ?Anders Bjork - Shoulder - Out for season ?Patrice Bergeron - Upper Body - Questionable Saturday​

Stream Options

https://www.reddit.com/r/NHLstreams
​

 

[WAYNEINIONA]

This is going to be a tough game to win. The young guys are still learning what it takes to win in the playoffs. As long as they give it their all, win or lose I will be satisfied.

 

[Zee]

2-1 in double OT, Johnsson with the winner.



Either that or 6-1 Bruins.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

https://twitter.com/jonassiegel/status/987715597789270016

I'm pretty happy with these actually.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

https://twitter.com/NHLBruins/status/987707768827195392

I feel like if Bergeron were healthy enough to play the smart move by Cassidy would be to say that they aren't expecting him to play to try and throw the Leafs off here. So we'll see what happens in warm-ups I guess.

 

[Boston Leaf]

I think I'd rather see Plekanic with M n M but thankfully I don't have a say

 

[Bullfrog]

Very balanced lines, though a bit more offensive support for Matthews might be nice.

Kapanen's definitely going to score today.

 

[sickbeast]

Babcock had to try something.  We'll see what happens.  I really hope the Leafs can pull off a win tonight.

 

[princedpw]

https://twitter.com/jonassiegel/status/987715597789270016

I'm pretty happy with these actually.

go leafs go.

what a 4th line.

 

[ZBBM]

Switch Matthews and Kadri and it might not be as awful.

 

[Strangelove]

Boston could play their fourth line against the new Matthews line and they?d still be totally neutralized.

The last time Brown and Hyman were on the first line (in the fall I think) the Leafs went on a lengthy losing streak and looked like they?d fall out of the playoff race.

Any changes that result in Brown and Hyman getting more ice time hurt the team, regardless of Babcock?s matchup shenanigans.

 

[CatScratchFever]

Switch Matthews and Kadri and it might not be as awful.

Yeah, for the life of me I can't understand why Babcock doesn't put Marner with Matthews once in awhile to generate some offence. I get that he wants 2 strong lines, but we need scoring at this point.

 

[Frank E]

Boston could play their fourth line against the new Matthews line and they?d still be totally neutralized.

The last time Brown and Hyman were on the first line (in the fall I think) the Leafs went on a lengthy losing streak and looked like they?d fall out of the playoff race.

Any changes that result in Brown and Hyman getting more ice time hurt the team, regardless of Babcock?s matchup shenanigans.

Both Hyman and Brown are outscoring Matthews and Nylander at this point, so let's not get too bent out of shape.  I think what Babcock might be doing is trying to get Matthews away from Chara.

 

[ZBBM]

Switch Matthews and Kadri and it might not be as awful.

Yeah, for the life of me I can't understand why Babcock doesn't put Marner with Matthews once in awhile to generate some offence. I get that he wants 2 strong lines, but we need scoring at this point.

Welcome to the board!

I just wanted to add: while lines are important, and I don't like these, the core reason we are losing is because our best players, collectively, haven't been nearly as good as the Bruins'.  While I think you can argue that Babcock has been outcoached so far, that's secondary to the fact that we have been plain-old outplayed.

 

[mr grieves]

Both Hyman and Brown are outscoring Matthews and Nylander at this point, so let's not get too bent out of shape.  I think what Babcock might be doing is trying to get Matthews away from Chara.

Mirtle's guess was that Hyman and Brown have done okay getting behind the defense and working the boards -- if the idea is that you won't be scoring many finesse goals with Matthews this series, guys who can help on the cycle might be the way to go. For the start of the game anyway.

 

[Zee]

https://twitter.com/jonassiegel/status/987715597789270016

I'm pretty happy with these actually.

Brown doesn't really get extra space for Matthews out there. At least Nylander will be freed up away from Chara

 

[sickbeast]

I personally think that Matthews is playing hurt.  Whatever happened to him early in the season really affected him this year.  The organization was really hush hush about it.  I still don't even know what happened to him.  Also later in the season he got sandwiched and had a shoulder injury.  That could have aggravated the earlier injury.  I just find Matthews has been playing too passively and too soft and this is the only reasonable conclusion I can come up with.

 

[Zee]

I personally think that Matthews is playing hurt.  Whatever happened to him early in the season really affected him this year.  The organization was really hush hush about it.  I still don't even know what happened to him.  Also later in the season he got sandwiched and had a shoulder injury.  That could have aggravated the earlier injury.  I just find Matthews has been playing too passively and too soft and this is the only reasonable conclusion I can come up with.

If you're right he might need shoulder surgery after the playoffs

 

[Guilt Trip]

Just saw a report from Mark Masters that Leo said he was ready to go when interviewed at the morning skate. Seems Babs has decided not to go with him. Good news for us.
As for Matthews, I think his shoulder is not totally healed or it has been injured during the playoffs. Either way, 1 series isn't going to change my mind on the type of player he is. The bigger disappointment for me is the Bozak line. They have probably the best matchup and they've done nothing except on the pp.
Either way we need 31 to steal one for us. He's more then capable.

 

[herman]

Just saw a report from Mark Masters that Leo said he was ready to go when interviewed at the morning skate. Seems Babs has decided not to go with him. Good news for us.

8)