The Boston Bruins will meet the Toronto Maple Leafs for the second straight year in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. There is no need to clarify how big rivals the Bruins and the Maple Leafs are. They have been the rivals from their origins since both of these team are the part of the NHL Original Six. The rivalry is not being renewed, it has always been there. In recent history, the Bruins have met the Leafs on several occasions. Boston Bruins staying humble is the key for them in order to defeat their foes again
There is a promise that both of these teams will continuously meet each other in the upcoming seasons. Despite the Bruins recent dominance, they have to take the Toronto Maple Leafs as carefully as they can. The history has taught us that the Bruins dominate the Leafs, but it has never come easy for them.
Boston Bruins Staying Humble Is Key
In the past weeks, many Bruins fans and some part of the NHL media predicted the playoff series between Boston and Toronto to be rather clear. Despite the recent form and dominance for the Bruins, it is not going to be easy. Unless the Bruins take the Maple Leafs with all of the carefulness in the world. These two teams have met in the playoffs for back-to-back seasons and one would guess they will meet again in the following post-seasons.
Can the Boston Bruins recent playoff dominance over the Maple Leafs continue? The Bruins have taken the Leafs down last year and in the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs as well. After that thrilling 2013 playoff series, the Bruins have won eight out of next 13 games versus the Maple Leafs. All of those seemed to be rather close. Then the Leafs won six straight contests over Boston.
In 21 head-to-head meetings between two dramatic first-round playoff series, the Bruins have won nine of those games, while the Leafs came out victorious 12 times. In fact, in the last 25 regular season meetings, the Leafs have one more win than the Bruins. Even though it supposedly should be easy for the B’s, it’s going to be incredibly tough. Boston Bruins must stay humble and beat their own thought of overconfidence.
Dramatic Playoffs Series Between Boston and Toronto
Recent head-to-head matchups in the regular seasons were close. In the playoffs, it has been the same way, but the Leafs have never been able to win it. In the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs, almost nobody picked a young inexperienced team in the Maple Leafs to top the Bruins in the first round. The Bruins took the 3-1 series lead and it all seemed to be very easy for them.
The Leafs struck back to win Game 5 on the road and Game 6 on home ice and frustrate the Bruins genuinely. In Game 7, we all know the story. The Bruins looked at the mirror and responded the bell when the Leafs had a 4-1 lead in the third period. Better later than never, Boston came back and stole it out of the Maple Leafs´ hands. The Bruins, however, took no lessons from that series.
Five years later, the Bruins met the Maple Leafs again. Some fans joked that it would be dramatic Game 7 win for Boston again, maybe after they blow another 3-1 series lead. It had to happen that way. But the Bruins survived again. Nonetheless, heading to Game 5, that experience from five years back didn’t serve them for anything. They almost got burned but managed to stay alive again. It doesn’t have to repeat this time.
Bruins Have to Expect Spirited Maple Leafs Out Of Gates
When we take a look at some similar cases, like the Washington Capitals history versus the Pittsburgh Penguins in the playoffs. Here we can find two examples. The first one is, that the winning streak against another team in the playoffs can be really a long one. The second one is, that every streak has its end. If we are talking about the Penguins, they took Washington down in 2016 and 2017. In each of those years, the Caps were the heavy favourites as they were the Presidents´ Trophy holders.
A year ago, after the campaign, when the Caps failed to win another Presidents´ Trophy, no one shied away from picking Pittsburgh to win. The Caps finally won it last year. Nobody is saying that based on that different story the Leafs will stun the Bruins now. It´s not probable. But neither the Bruins can think that the Maple Leafs will beat themselves.
Despite their recent playoff dominance over Toronto, the Boston Bruins staying humble is the key as they face their rival yet again. The success will not come easy and Toronto will try to win it and redeem themselves. Last season, there was a feeling within Toronto that they might have been finally ready to take down the Bruins and make it to the second playoff round for the first time in more than a decade.
Boston Bruins Staying Humble Key to Defeat Toronto Again
During the last Stanley Cup playoffs, it has been all interesting. The Maple Leafs started overconfidently and failed. Then it was the Bruins who failed to learn from a lesson presented in 2013. After all the drama and confusion, the Bruins scored four unanswered in the third period of the Game 7 at TD Garden. Then, they didn’t have much gas left against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second round.
This year, some of the Bruins fans tried to have a “different” approach. The Bruins should have focused on beating the Lightning right away. But if the Bruins didn’t learn from their lesson(s), there is always a chance that the Maple Leafs did. It´s not about the Boston Bruins and the Tampa Bay Lightning. It´s all about the very first shift of the Game 1 on Thursday at TD Garden.
Both teams will have their chances, both teams will try to learn from their lessons. The Boston Bruins have to remain humble, the Maple Leafs will try to win as they are a very good hockey team, which many tend to overview.
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