We're Getting Ready For The Next Game, Nothing Else Matters': With A Game Five Victory Against The Bruins, Have The Maple Leafs Shifted The Pressure Back On Boston?
With a secondary assist in Tuesday’s Game 5, Max Domi added to his playoff point total as he currently sits with 4 points through 5 games (1G, 3A).
In a must-win game for the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team rallied behind the play of goaltender Joseph Woll to push their opening-round series against the Boston Bruins to Game 6.
As history shows, the Bruins were in the same position just a season ago as they led the Florida Panthers in their opening-round series heading on the road for a Game 6 after being up 3-1. Due to its recency and underlining comparisons against the Leafs in this season’s playoff matchup, could there now be a planted seed of doubt in the Bruins locker room?
“I think so. That's what you want to do, right? You want to build positive momentum your own way. And yeah, you want to make them uncomfortable. You want to make them have to pack up and head out to Toronto,” said Maple Leafs Head Coach Sheldon Keefe. “As difficult as this one was here tonight, the next one's going to be even harder, no matter where the game is played because now it's sort of like you got them, you got their attention again.”
After the Bruins struggled to close out the series on home ice against Toronto without their top goal-scorer, Auston Matthews, the Maple Leafs certainly have got their attention. With Toronto seemingly striking rock bottom after Game 4, the Bruins have given the Maple Leafs some life heading back to play Game 6 at Scotiabank Arena.
Maple Leafs captain John Tavares emphasizes the importance of 'making things difficult' in any way they can to consistently apply pressure and make the B’s uncomfortable.
“We want to try to make it difficult anyway we can,” said Tavares. “The more opportunities you have and you don't close on it, obviously, then you get a little bit tighter. We're just going to keep playing and trying to keep making it difficult and earn the right for another one.”
That seems to be the mentality within the Maple Leafs’ locker room; take it one game at a time. When push comes to shove, as Leafs forward Max Domi put it, ‘We’re getting ready for the next game, nothing else matters’.
“I was just so excited and so happy and I think what brought me more joy was to see the faces of my teammates and how much they wanted to keep playing and keep moving on. I think we executed our plan really well today and I was just fortunate that we could go back home and keep this rolling,” game-winning goal scorer Matthew Knies stated.
“It’s a great win for us obviously and excited to go back on home ice,” said starting goaltender Joseph Woll.
After a disappointing home stand their last time around for Games 3 and 4, the Maple Leafs showcased a sense of urgency to push their season onward on Tuesday night. As it seems, the Leafs are amplified to have another opportunity to capitalize on home ice. Without a playoff win on their own turf in six straight appearances, a seventh poses the risk of putting an end to their season.
With that said, the flight to Toronto raises a ton of question marks for the Bruins as they enter Canadian territory once more. For the second straight season, the momentum of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is trending towards a shift in the Bruins’ opponents’ favour, a comfortless position if you are wearing the black and yellow uniform.
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