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The Boston Bruins have watched a 3-1 lead slip away in the first-round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second straight year. The Toronto Maple Leafs prevailed against their Original Six rivals for the first time on home ice this season in Game 6, squeaking out a 2-1 victory in front of the home crowd at Scotiabank Arena and forcing a decider in Massachusetts on Saturday.
The Bruins’ offense was again contained by the Leafs on Thursday; Toronto allowed a single goal — with under a second left in regulation — after conceding just one in Game 5. And Jim Montgomery needs more from his best players, including David Pastrnak, who has four points in six games but none since Game 4.
“Your best players need to be your best players this time of year,” the head coach told reporters afterwards, per ESPN’s Kristen Shilton. “I think the effort is tremendous. They need to come through with some big-time plays in big-time moments. [Brad] Marchand has done this throughout the series. [Pastrnak] needs to step up.”
Pastrnak recorded a point in each of the first four games of the series, but failed to hit the scoresheet in two critical chances to eliminate the Leafs. If he doesn’t come through in Game 7, it could be back-to-back first-round collapses for the Bruins.
Bruins struggled out of the gate again in Game 6
After a sluggish start in Game 5 — an eventual 2-1 overtime loss — Thursday night was much of the same, with the B’s being outshot 12-1 in a scoreless first period. Although the team performed much better in the second, it was William Nylander who broke the scoreless tie late in the frame. Nylander would score again on a breakaway with just over two minutes remaining in the third stanza, and that’s all the scoring Toronto would need.
“It’s a tight game, and they were prepared to play from the first shift,” captain Brad Marchand admitted, per Shilton. “We need to be better in that area. The last couple games they’ve started really hard and carried the momentum in the first period, and we have to do a better job there.”
”It’s unacceptable, our start again,” Montgomery echoed after the loss. ”We have to find a way to start on time. Toronto, they’re starting on time. They’re getting the advantage, they’re getting the momentum. But it shouldn’t take that long [for us].”
For Boston, it’s shades of last year’s heartbreak. After a 65-win season and a dominant President’s Trophy win, the Bruins watched a commanding 3-1 lead on the Florida Panthers turn into a heartbreaking Game 7 overtime loss at home in the first-round.
But the past is the past, says Montgomery.
“We’re not living in the past,” said the bench boss. “We’re not living the future. We’re living in the present. We’re not happy with our game. We’ll get ready for Game 7 starting tomorrow.”
It’s the two best words in sports at TD Garden on Saturday night, and it’ll be a pristine opportunity for superstar David Pastrnak to get back on the scoresheet — and get his team out of Round 1.
More must-reads:
- Former NHLer: Panthers-Rangers series will be 'heated, emotional'
- Connor McDavid, Oilers hammer Canucks to force Game 7
- The 'Six touchdown passes in an NFL game' quiz
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