Bruins The Pick To Win Another Low-Scoring Matchup in Game 7
For the fourth straight time, the playoff series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins is going the distance as the Maple Leafs made it two wins in a row to send the first-round series to Game 7 despite playing without Auston Matthews. The NHL goal-scoring leader with 69 is questionable to play Game 7.
Boston squandered a 3-1 series lead in the first round by losing Games 5 and 7 at home. Could history be repeating?
The NHL betting line has Boston favored in Game 7 as the last time Toronto was listed as the favorite against the Bruins on the road was in 2018.
Boston is 7-3 against Toronto this season and one more win will give the Bruins their seventh consecutive series win over the Maple Leafs. The last time Toronto topped Boston in a playoff series was in 1959.
The NHL odds have the Bruins at -135 to win the series despite scoring one goal in each of the last two games. There are +175 odds for Boston to cover at -1½ on the puck line. Toronto is priced at +115 to win outright to complete the comeback.
When looking at Stanley Cup odds, Boston is +1400 for the best odds to win the Stanley Cup. Toronto is listed at +2200.
Maple Leafs vs Bruins Game Information
- Game: Maple Leafs (49-29-10, 26-12-6 road) vs Bruins 50-22-16 (25-12-7 home)
- Date/Time: May 4, 8 p.m. ET
- Location: TD Garden, Boston
- Maple Leafs vs Bruins Live Stream: NHL.com
Nylander Delivers for the Maple Leafs
Toronto was playing without Matthews once again so William Nylander, who finished second on the Maple Leafs with 40 goals and 98 points during the regular season, took matters into his own hands.
William Nylander has his first of the playoffs ‼️@MapleLeafs | #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/gRpuLHCvJB
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 3, 2024
Nylander, who missed the first three games of the series, came through with his second career multi-goal game in the playoffs. His goal with 2:13 left proved to be the game-winner after Morgan Geekie scored for the Bruins just before the final buzzer. Nylander had a game-high five shots on goal in the game.
Those were the first two goals that Nylander has scored against the Bruins this season as he had two assists and a -5 plus/minus rating in four games in the regular campaign versus the Bruins.
Nylander has 10 shots on goal over the last two games, and will look for more of the game in Game 7.
Bruins Going Away Without Much of a Fight
After following up a record-breaking regular season by losing the final three games to the Florida Panthers in the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, one would have thought that the Bruins would have come out flying in the early stages of Game 6.
However, after managing two shots on goal in the first period in a Game 5 loss, things got even worse with only one shot in the first period in Game 6. Boston turned it on in the third period with 10 shots in the final 20 minutes.
The pressure is squarely on the Bruins to win at home to avoid yet another playoff meltdown as Boston is also known for blowing a 3-0 lead in a series.
Boston led either 2-1 or 3-1 only to lose a playoff series in four of the last five seasons, so keep that in mind heading into Game 7.
Notable Betting Trends
Since winning the 2011 Stanley Cup, Boston is 3-5 in Game 7s with all three wins coming against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Toronto has lost its last six series that went the distance with the last win in Game 7 coming in 2004 against Ottawa.
Here are some numbers to consider for those who bet online:
- The total went under in six of the last eight games between the Bruins and the Maple Leafs.
- Boston is 39-31-12 this season as the favorite.
- Toronto is 9-10-2 as the underdog.
- Just 19 of 44 home games have landed over the total for the Bruins.
- Toronto is 20-24 against the puck line on the road with Boston having the same mark on home ice.
- Four of the last five games for the Maple Leafs have gone under the total.
- The total has gone under in 12 of Boston’s last 15 games.
What to Look for in Game 7
Earlier in the series, the focus was on whether Toronto could score against Boston goalie Jeremy Swayman. Now it is all about the Bruins looking to light the lamp versus Toronto’s Joseph Woll. Woll has stopped 54 of the 56 shots he has faced in the series.
Boston will look to avoid becoming the first team in NHL history to blow 3-1 series leads in back-to-back series. Both Game 7s will be on home ice as well so if that happens, will Bruins coach Jim Montgomery survive?
Toronto is 3-10 in its last 13 games against the Bruins.
If not for an empty-net goal in Game 3, each of the five games in this series would have been decided by one goal. Expect a similar outcome in Game 7.
Teams play all season for home-ice advantage and Boston should be able to build on its strong third period in Game 6 and punch its ticket into the second round even though Boston is just 4-5 outright in its last nine games as the home favorite. Toronto had lost five games in a row as a road underdog before Games 2 and 5.
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Bruins vs Maple Leafs Prediction
Questions Of The Day
When is the last time the Maple Leafs beat the Bruins in a playoff series?
The Maple Leafs last defeated the Bruins in a playoff series in 1959.
What are good player prop options for Game 7 of the Maple Leafs-Bruins series?
Boston forward David Pastrnak was called out by Bruins coach Jim Montgomery after the Game 6 loss. Consider the goals, points and shots on goal props for Pastrnak. William Nylander has 10 shots over the last two games, so he could come through again for the Leafs.
