Maple Leafs vs. Bruins: Game 3 Prediction
The Boston Bruins flattened the Maple Leafs by four goals in Games 1 and 2, but can the Toronto Maple Leafs recover and cut the series lead to one?
The Boston Bruins absolutely ran the Maple Leafs out of the building in Games 1 and 2 by four goals each, and now Toronto is in serious trouble and in need of a bounce back to get back in this series.
In Game 2, the Bruins ran away with the game right from the drop of the puck with four goals in the first period. David Pastrnak scored a natural hat trick and recorded a six point night for nine points in the first two games of the series, passing Wayne Gretzky and tying Phil Esposito for most points in the first two games of a series. If the Bruins keep running like this, this series could be over before we know it.
The Leafs need to figure this funk out. Never at any point in the 82-game season did they ever allow seven goals in a game or lose by four goals in back to back games.
Auston Matthews and the majority of the forward core has gone silent, and the defense has been torn to shreds by the Bruins top lines. Frederik Andersen was pulled in the first period, which was only his second time being pulled all season, after posting a stunning .400 save percentage with two saves on five shots.
The motivational edge in Game 3 has to go the Maple Leafs. They cannot go down 3-0 in this series. So many players are due for a breakout on home ice, and there is no way that Andersen puts up a game that terrible again. The Leafs need the first goal, and they need to shut down the Bruins top line, especially David Pastrnak. The Bruins have the obvious momentum, and Boston taking Game 3 will be an insurmountable deficit for the Leafs to overcome.
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The two teams trade goals early on before a second period stalemate, then William Nylander gets on the board in the third period for his first of the series to give the Leafs the lead that they’ll hold onto and get on the board in this series.
Game 3 Prediction: Maple Leafs defeat Bruins 3-2
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