Game 4 on Wednesday night was a successful one for the Bruins, snagging a 6-4 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Having clearly received the message after their miserable offensive performance in Game 3, the offense was fixed. However, the defense went off the rails this time. The Bruins have to focus better and play a full 60 every night as the series winds up to best-of-three.
It happened in Game 1 in Boston. The Bruins started the game and the whole series with tremendous energy and even potted the first goal. However, the Leafs responded within a few shifts and tied the game up at one. Following that moment, the Bruins went missing and carelessly lost the game and the home-ice advantage. They were able to recover that home-ice advantage in Game 4.
Game 2 was almost as perfect as it could be for Boston. But that’s been it for the Bruins, as they have had repeated issues in all of the other three games. In Game 3, it just wasn’t good enough offensively, as the second period cost the Bruins yet again. Every time they had something going, they just gave the momentum right back to Toronto. In Game 4, it was repeated, but the Bruins managed to build an advantage before that.
The start was thrilling. An early 2-0 lead and other good opportunities. After the B’s made two successful penalty kills with two minutes two go in the first period, who would have thought it would be tied with two minutes into the second frame? In a must-win game, that just cannot happen.
Nevertheless, the Bruins responded as the top line clicked for just the second time in the series at even strength. And it was a huge play by all those three guys and of course the first tally for David Pastrnak. That was required for the Bruins to respond and the top line took the responsibility. You like to see that happening. Then the Bruins scored just 1:35 minutes afterward with a power-play strike. David Pastrnak again.
The Bruins recovered their lead, but once again, they allowed the Maple Leafs to take their chances. Rask was standing tall and Zdeno Chara seemingly put the game in the bed with his 17th career playoff goal. With a comfortable 5-2 lead with something over eight minutes to go, the Leafs scored on the power play. Nothing happens, just one goal. But the Leafs came back with chances and the B´s just couldn’t resist that.
And so Travis Dermott scored to make it a one-goal game with still well over six minutes to go. Such a careless display in a must-win road game cannot happen, it just cannot. Just look at how it cost the Tampa Bay Lightning to give up that 3-1 lead in the third period in Game 1. After the reporters had everything ready to state that the Bruins took Game 4 in dominant fashion, instead they had to admit, that the Bruins dodged a bullet.
If the Leafs tied it up at five… Rather don’t imagine that scenario. Apart from Game 1 and Game 3, the Bruins have been there with the response. They responded after blowing a 2-0 lead, they responded after squandering two goals in the third period. After Dermott’s goal, they were able to play solid few shifts to not allow Toronto to build a bigger momentum.
After miserable Game 1, the Bruins needed to get better and displayed that in perfect Game 2. Somehow, they thought that it was well enough and didn’t create much danger in Game 3. Starting a playoff game with concentration and mind fully focused on just doing your job does wonders, right? Game 4 start was terrific. David Pastrnak has turned from a struggling forward to a guy who could have had a hattrick in one minute and 35 seconds. That’s how good he is, but it just wasn’t there. The same applies to the Bruins, they have a lot of potentials and then they just go quiet.
The Maple Leafs are an extremely good team. But the Bruins are just better. After Game 1, Brad Marchand admitted, that the B´s thought it might have been a bit easier than it actually was. In the playoffs, that´s unacceptable. (Just go and ask the Lightning.) But a performance like in Game 2 or a responsive play just like in Game 4 is acceptable.
It’s a series tied at two apiece headed to Game 5 at TD Garden. Last season at this stage, the Bruins had just one bad game and let the series 3-1. But they entered Game 7 third period down by one. This time around, they played two bad games and one game, where they let their opponents gain track way too easily.
Maybe this time they will be able to close out the series in six games. It’s really been just about paying attention, starting focused and making simple plays in the key moments. Boston has to be remained of that to win two of the next three (or maybe just the next two) because they have been losing control rather easily.
