Game Preview: Boston Bruins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs

The Boston Bruins are on a winning streak for the second time this season. At 6-6-1, they are coming off arguably their best two performances: back-to-back shutouts against the Philadelphia Flyers (3-0) and the Seattle Kraken (2-0). The good signs from the weekend? Joonas Korpisalo and Jeremy Swayman each had a shutout, and the Bruins sacrificed their bodies to block shots.

The Black and Gold will be looking to extend their winning streak to three games for the first time in 2024-25, but it’ll have to be done on the road against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Winners of eight straight regular-season games against Toronto, Boston already owns a 4-3 overtime win over their Atlantic Division rivals on Oct. 27 at the TD Garden.

Both teams are coming into the game off of different results. Behind 23 saves from Swayman and goals from Charlie Coyle and Justin Brazeau, the Bruins blanked the Kraken. They also withstood a third-period onslaught from Seattle, which outshot them, 12-3, and hit a pair of posts.

Toronto lost on Sunday night, 2-1, in overtime to the Minnesota Wild and are currently one point ahead of the Bruins at 6-5-2 overall. It was the second straight loss for Toronto, which was beaten by the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night.

This is the second game of the season between the two teams. After Auston Matthews tied the game, 3-3, with 1:17 left in regulation, the Bruins won the game in overtime after Matthews had a defensive zone turnover that led to Brad Marchand’s game-winner. It was the second straight overtime win over the Maple Leafs if you include Game 7 of last season’s first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series.

After Tuesday night, there will be two more meetings between the two teams, one each in Toronto and Boston. Even early in the season, these are big points that could be huge once we hit March and April and jockeying for postseason spot picks up. 

For the Bruins, how does David Pastrnak respond after being benched by coach Jim Montgomery in the third period against Seattle? He had seven shots through the first 40 minutes but didn’t see the ice over the final 20 minutes. Brazeau has been coming on as of late having goals in two consecutive games after struggling to begin the season.

Toronto goes as Matthews goes as he is one of the best goal scorers in the NHL. The Maple Leafs also have Mitch Marner and William Nylander who can produce at any time and expect the Bruins to get another look at Anthony Stolarz who is 4-2-2 with a 2.38 GAA and a .919 SV%.

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