The Boston Bruins will begin their first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs by hosting the Toronto Maple Leafs. This marks the fifth time that these two teams have met this season, with the Bruins winning all four of their previous matches against the Maple Leafs. Their most recent meeting took place on March 7th, when the Bruins emerged victorious with a score of 4-1.
Boston has had a successful season overall, finishing with a record of 47-20-15, including an impressive 18-5-3 record in Atlantic Division play. The Bruins have been particularly dominant when scoring at least three goals, boasting a record of 44-3-7 in those games. On the other hand, Toronto has struggled this season, finishing with a record of 46-26-10 and posting an underwhelming 11-12-3 record within the Atlantic Division. The Maple Leafs have found success when they are able to limit their penalty minutes compared to their opponents, posting a record of 24-9-2 in those situations.
Key players for Boston include Charlie Coyle, who has scored 25 goals with 34 assists, and Pavel Zacha, who has tallied four goals and eight assists in his last ten games. For Toronto, Mitchell Marner leads the way with 27 goals and 57 assists
