cannot<\/em>\u00a0end up going the other way, because it\u2019s likely a golden opportunity for the other team if they manage to split the defense.<\/p>\nFurther, the Boston Bruins are in a unique position to get multiple penalties off of these guys, because the Toronto Maple Leafs have, at least in their minds of their fans and probably more worryingly the man in charge of the team, been losing to the same team for the past five years uninterrupted. It is very likely the Boston Bruins can suck these guys into making extremely stupid decisions just by existing because they both dislike them that badly and have an idea of what they are that may not necessarily reflect reality. The Bruins\u2019 reputation for extracurricular hockey precedes them, and the Leafs think they are prepared.<\/p>\n
The Bruins need to show them that it\u2019s not only untrue, it was actively a bad idea to think that was true in the first place.<\/p>\n
Can you shut down Matthews and Marner again?<\/h3>\n
I need to make it clear the engine that keeps the Toronto Maple Leafs moving is Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. Whatever else I say about these players after this point is mostly fan-brain taking over. They are immensely talented hockey players that are by and large worth the money.<\/p>\n
The issue over their money however, extends to a reality that the Leafs have had to face time and time again; the Boston Bruins seem to find a way to make their most useful players seemingly worthless when it becomes Best of 7 with the season on the line. While some of it may in fact be because they aren\u2019t built for this (and at least in Marner\u2019s case, I think that\u2019s true.), the reality is that the coaching staff, whether it\u2019s under Bruce Cassidy or Jim Montgomery, have found ways to mitigate their impact. Brandon Carlo has often been stapled to Auston Matthews, as has Hampus Lindholm.<\/p>\n
It\u00a0should<\/em>\u00a0work, we know that for certain, but with transition, specifically zone exits, being such a big issue for the Bruins this season it behooves them to figure out a way to make a very flawed defense into a bear trap for the two most dangerous players in blue and white. Charlie McAvoy has actually had a very rough time with Matthews in particular, and so he may be better served locking down the Tavares line so that Lindholm and Carlo can be better put to work stymying the Leafs attack where it often starts.<\/p>\nNo but really, what\u00a0are\u00a0<\/em>you going to do with the Goaltending<\/h3>\nBoston\u2019s been a bit coy about how they\u2019re gonna deploy the goalies.<\/p>\n
Jim Montgomery and Don Sweeney have insinuated they might actually go with platooning the goaltenders…or making a firm decision and not wavering from it.<\/p>\n
I don\u2019t envy either one of them right now.<\/p>\n
They\u2019re in a weird place with it; waiting way too long to replace your goalie when they were very obviously injured sank last year\u2019s playoff run (Among a litany of all-timer gruesome performances. Hi Derek and Connor Clifton in Game 6.), and so doing the thing that everyone and their mother wants to see, which seems to be \u201cPlatoon the Goalies because that worked all season\u201d, is very much on the table. If both guys are putting up the kind of .930 SV% expected of both of them, then that\u2019s totally understandable to have such complete faith in your goaltenders.<\/p>\n
The only downside is…is if it doesn\u2019t work. If the series is artificially inflated by one player obviously playing better than the other and making him wait to come in to save his buddy. As of the last few games, the answer if you looked at their results, you\u2019d probably want to put that particular experiment on ice for a series or two because Ullmark is clearly playing better than Swayman by a significant amount. The answer\u00a0should<\/em>\u00a0be Linus Ullmark. He\u2019s playing .920+ SV% games to Swayman\u2019s .900 SV%, at least over the past five games. Ullmark played nearly the entire season against the Leafs and they beat them convincingly over the long term, so why shouldn\u2019t it be him? He\u2019s clearly the answer!<\/p>\nAt least until he wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
So…what do you do?<\/p>\n
Maybe you don\u2019t wait to find out.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll have to see how Coach Monty handles this tonight.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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