It’s now a best-of-one. The Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins are heading to Game 7 to decide their first-round NHL playoff series.
The stakes are high as both teams try to change the narratives surrounding them and break through to the second round.
Here’s everything you need to know about Game 7.
When is Game 7 and where can I watch it?
Game 7 is on Saturday, May 4, at TD Garden in Boston at 8 pm ET.
In the United States, the game will be broadcast on ABC and ESPN+. In Canada, it will air on Sportsnet, CBC and TVA Sports.
What happened in the first six games?
A lot. The Bruins won handily in Game 1, a typically bad playoff start for the Maple Leafs. The Leafs bounced back in Game 2, thanks mostly to Auston Matthews’ heroics.
Back in Toronto for Games 3 and 4, the Bruins went away from their typical goalie rotation and handed the reins to Jeremy Swayman, who shut the door in two Bruins wins. The Leafs got William Nylander back for Game 4 but then lost Matthews.
With a 3-1 series lead and the Leafs seemingly imploding, the Bruins looked sure to move on. But the Leafs won a hard-fought Game 5 in overtime in Boston, then played one of their best playoff games in recent memory in Thursday’s 2-1 win to force Game 7. Nylander looked healthy again, scoring both Leafs goals, but Matthews missed the game again and is uncertain to play in Game 7.
What’s the history between these two teams?
The Bruins and Maple Leafs are historic Original Six and division rivals. This is the fourth playoff series in the past 12 years between the two teams — and the Bruins have won the previous three.
While there are few remaining links to the 2013 first-round series, it’s the most memorable. The Bruins raced out to a 3-1 series lead before the Leafs won two in a row to force Game 7. Sound familiar? The Leafs led Game 7 4-1 with 12 minutes to go in the third period, but the Bruins rallied for three late goals, then won it in overtime.
The two teams also met in first-round series in 2018 and 2019. Both went seven games and were won by the Bruins.
What’s at stake for the Maple Leafs?
On the one hand, what’s at stake for the Leafs is what head coach Sheldon Keefe told his team: How do they want to be remembered? As yet another Leafs team, that is, that failed to advance past the first round? Or as one that found a way to overcome a 3-1 deficit without their best player?
But it’s deeper than that, obviously. A first-round exit could well spell the end for Keefe as head coach and perhaps even team president Brendan Shanahan, now in his 10th season in charge. Substantial change might finally come to the top of the roster. Winning Game 7 might not change any of that if the Leafs go down in Round 2, but it would help, at least a little, in chasing away playoff demons from Boston. — Jonas Siegel
GO DEEPER
The Maple Leafs have come back. Now, for once, it’s time for them to finish the job
What’s at stake for the Bruins?
The Bruins are playing for jobs. If they lose to the Leafs in Game 7, it will be the second straight season in which they handed away 3-1 series leads.
Top of the list is coach Jim Montgomery, whose ill-advised Game 5 lineup changes helped to open the door for the Leafs’ rally. Last year, Montgomery’s scrapping of the goaltending rotation allowed the Florida Panthers to erase a 3-1 series deficit. Under Montgomery’s watch, the Bruins had nothing in the first periods of Games 5 and 6.
Another loss would compromise the core of players who had a hand in two straight chokes: Brandon Carlo, Charlie Coyle, Jake DeBrusk, Trent Frederic, Matt Grzelcyk, Hampus Lindholm, Brad Marchand, Charlie McAvoy, David Pastrnak, Jeremy Swayman, Linus Ullmark and Pavel Zacha. DeBrusk and Grzelcyk are on expiring contracts. Ullmark is likely to be traded. Frederic and Marchand will be unrestricted after 2024-25. — Flute Shinzawa
GO DEEPER
Bruins’ David Pastrnak is doing nothing, and a choke is pending because of it
Who’s waiting in the next round?
The Florida Panthers are up next for whoever wins Game 7. They have been at home awaiting an opponent since Wednesday when they finished off a series win over the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games.
Both the Bruins and Leafs have notable recent history with the Panthers. Last season, the Bruins had a record-setting regular season, won the Presidents’ Trophy and faced the Panthers in the first round. They led the series 3-1 before the Panthers rallied to win the next three games.
That set up a second-round series with the Leafs. The Panthers made short work of Toronto, winning in five games.
So no matter who wins Game 7, it’s setting up a rematch of a series from last year.
The second-round series begins in Florida on Monday.
(Photo of Hampus Lindholm and John Tavares: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
