BSJ Game Report: Maple Leafs 6, Bruins 4 - Boston can’t claw back after defensive letdown

Everything you need to know from the Bruins’ 6-4 loss to the Maple Leafs, with BSJ insight and analysis: 

BOX SCORE

HEADLINES 

B’s let prime opportunity slip through their grasp with no show against Leafs

If you’d like to be one of those brave few willing to try and polish this result and search for some silver linings, I’m more than willing to hear you out.

After all, Boston sure seemed due to put forth a stinker amid this recent 14-2-1 surge, and Tuesday’s performance against the Maple Leafs could be singled out as an outlier amid an extended stretch of strong play. 

And Boston, at the very least, did manage to make things interesting down the stretch — scoring two goals in the final 20 minutes that surely raised the blood pressure of Leafs fans across the globe. 

That being said, harping on the silver linings that come with a strong finish doesn’t absolve the fact that the Bruins exited the second intermission staring at an ugly 6-1 deficit. And even though Boston might have been due for a letdown sooner or later, the timing is still brutal when it comes to getting diced up by THIS Maple Leafs team in a potential statement game.

This one sure seemed to have all the makings of another B’s clinic against an Original-Six foe that they’ve haunted for years, especially after a rather impressive performance against the Lightning less than a week ago.

Add in Toronto’s evident flaws on their back end and in net — coupled with the fact that Tuesday marked the Leafs’ third game in four nights — and Boston had a prime opportunity to land another knockout punch against a divisional foe and continue their ascent up the standings. 

But in a reversal, it was Boston’s D corps that was the weak link, with the Maple Leafs pouncing on just about every turnover, brain fart and miscue that Boston’s back end handed to them. But beyond just those defensive failings, Bruce Cassidy’s club just simply didn’t have it in many areas — be it in transition, goaltending, finishing or simply passing execution.

Perhaps it’s better just to bury this one and move forward, but it still stings to put forth a showing like this against an opponent like Toronto. 

TWO UP

Charlie McAvoy: On a night in which Boston’s defense regularly underwhelmed, McAvoy at least offered some positive returns. Along with his 25:34 of ice time (all of which were needed) and two assists, McAvoy at least tried to shift the momentum of the game with some heavy checks. 

David Pastrnak: Pastrnak sure loves to play the Maple Leafs. With his 38th tally of the season, Pastrnak has now buried 18 goals and posted 38 points over his last 25 games against the Maple Leafs (playoffs included). 

FOUR DOWN

Connor Clifton: An uptick in recent play allowed Clifton to remain in the lineup ever after Hampus Lindholm and Josh Brown’s arrival to Boston’s D corps, but it seems like the writing is on the wall that the physical blueliner is going to watching the next couple of games from the ninth floor — especially with both Brown and Mike Reilly ready for reps. Just far too many poor decisions with the puck in this one, especially against a team that can make you pay in a hurry in Toronto. 

Brandon Carlo: Clifton might have been knocked for his miscues in the opening period of play, but Carlo was also brutal for most of the night on that second pairing. Whether it be poor gaps in the D-zone or some dreadful puck management, Carlo was routinely caved in Boston’s own zone in this one. Not sure I’m a fan of that Lindholm-Carlo pairing, either. 

Jeremy Swayman: Boston’s defense and their overall puck play/execution doomed them in this one, but Swayman was also far from sharp, especially when it comes to playing the puck and rebound control. After giving up six goals on 25 shots, Swayman was yanked coming out of the second intermission for Linus Ullmark.

Brad Marchand: Sure, the game was already likely out of reach at the end of the second period — but you can’t be putting yourself in a spot where you have to sit out the first 10 minutes of the third period with a misconduct. GRANTED, not a huge fan of handing out a misconduct off of just exchanging chirps with another player either — but again, you can’t put yourself in that position. Pretty rough night of officiating in general, but methinks there were quite a few more deserving candidates for the “down” list in black-and-gold sweaters.

PLAY OF THE GAME

Bruins could have used a few more of these momentum-shifting hits from someone other than McAvoy all night. 

LOOSE PUCKS 

This stands as the Maple Leafs’ first regular-season win at TD Garden since Nov. 11, 2017. 

LOOKING AHEAD

The Bruins will continue their five-game homestand on Thursday when they host the New Jersey Devils at TD Garden. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m.