BSJ Game Report: Maple Leafs 5, Bruins 2 - Bruins set to battle Hurricanes in first round

Everything you need to know from the Bruins’ 5-2 loss to the Maple Leafs, with BSJ insight and analysis:

BOX SCORE

HEADLINES 

Bruins lock in first-round matchup with Hurricanes: Despite what the starting lineups might have forecasted just ahead of puck drop, there was still plenty at stake in Boston’s regular-season finale up in Toronto. 

While it seemed like a given that the Bruins were going to settle into the top Wild-Card spot in the Eastern Conference and battle the Hurricanes in the postseason for the third time in the last four years, it was not set in stone.

If the Lightning came up short against the Islanders in their Game 82, the Bruins could have leapfrogged the Bolts and set themselves up for a first-round bout with Toronto instead, so long as they captured at least a point against Toronto on Friday. 

But such a scenario did not come to pass, as a Bruins lineup stocked with depth options and AHL call-ups fell in regulation to the Leafs, 5-2, on Friday — ensuring a trip down to Raleigh for the B’s in short order.

As we noted last night, the Bruins were going to draw a tough opponent regardless of who they matched up against in Round 1 between Carolina and Toronto. But when it comes to charting a path through this loaded playoff bracket, the Metro Division is likely less arduous, especially with Toronto and Tampa Bay now set to duke it out in Round 1. 

Avoiding any and all of Florida, Tampa and Toronto until the Eastern Conference Final sure seems like an optimal road for Boston in the next few months.

Still, expect a long series against a Carolina team focused on exorcising some demons after getting bounced by Boston in each of their last two playoff meetings.

A lackluster ending on the ice: As for the game itself up in Toronto …. not a whole lot to write home about. 

Of course, with most of Boston’s top-six unit, its top defensive pair and another top-four option in Matt Grzelcyk all sitting out Friday’s contest, I wouldn’t read too much into a game in which the priority for both clubs was to simply emerge unscathed.

And in brutal fashion, the Bruins had themselves a pretty disastrous sequence early in the second period, as Jake DeBrusk (he of 17 goals in his last 33 games) slammed hard into the end boards after getting into a collision with Justin Holl. 

Despite the concerning optics in the immediate aftermath of DeBrusk’s crash landing, the B’s first-line forward didn’t even miss a shift, closing out the game with 15:48 of ice time and even scoring a power-play goal in the third period.

 Of course, you would have liked a much cleaner performance from Boston in its own zone (especially with Toronto also resting its big guns like Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and John Tavares). And the lack of a spark from younger skaters looking to make a good impression like Jack Studnicka was disappointing. 

But the Bruins do have a few positives to draw from this one, especially as it pertains to a crucial third line of Charlie Coyle, Craig Smith and Trent Frederic (who scored just 1:10 into regulation).

THREE UP

Coyle Line: After a pretty quiet end to the regular season, good to see this third line roll into the playoffs with an encouraging performance — with Frederic cashing in with his eighth goal of the season off of a swarming O-zone sequence from this bottom-six crew. 

Chris Wagner: Back in the NHL for the first time this season (after 62 games in Providence), Wagner sure looked like a guy who wants to stick around for the playoff push, with the 30-year-old forward doling out 11 hits in 13:50 of ice time. The season hasn’t gone as planned for Wagner, but good on the Walpole native for sticking with it, drawing rave reviews as a veteran leader down in Providence and making a great impression in his first look up in the NHL since last June.

Power play: Considering the tough sledding that this unit was trudging through for weeks, it’s a great sign to see them starting to execute (even without the usual suspects on that PP1 crew). And if you told me back in late December that DeBrusk would end the year with 25 goals, I’d think you were crazy.

THREE DOWN

Marc McLaughlin: Not the best game for McLaughlin, who has lost a bit of steam over this final stretch here. Along with a high-sticking penalty in the first that led to Ilya Mikheyev's power-play tally, McLaughlin was knocked for a turnover up high later in the period that generated a breakaway goal for William Nylander.  

Jack Studnicka: A disappointing NHL season for Studnicka ended with a pretty quiet performance in Game 82 — with a lazy clear attempt from the young forward leading to a Nick Abruzzese tally with just eight seconds to go in the first period. 

Last-minute goal: It was only fitting that the Bruins once again coughed up a last-minute goal in the final game of the regular season. This now stands as the 22nd goal this season that the Bruins have surrendered in the final minute of play.

PLAY OF THE GAME 

LOOSE PUCKS

LOOKING AHEAD

The Bruins will now head back to Boston and practice on Sunday at Warrior Ice Arena before making the eventual trek down to Raleigh later that evening. No first-round schedule has officially been announced quite yet, but the expectation is that the B’s will battle the Canes in Game 1 on Monday night.