Game 3 Preview: Boston Bruins at Toronto Maple Leafs
By Matt Zampini
May 4, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask (40) saves a shot by Toronto Maple Leafs center Tyler Bozak (42) during the first period in game two of the first round of the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
With the series tied up at one game apiece, the Bruins and Maple Leafs will head up North to Toronto for Game 3 at the Air Canada Centre.
The Maple Leafs came flying out of the gate in Game 2 on Saturday night. In the first period, they outshot the Bruins 12-10 and outhit them 22-10. Although scoreless after the first period, the Leafs kept that intensity throughout the entirety of the game and went on to win 4-2.
The Bruins will get defenseman Andrew Ference back in the lineup on Monday night after serving his one game suspension for a high hit on Mikhail Grabovski in Game 1. The B’s seemed a little lackadaisical on defense this past Saturday and will definitely benefit with Ference back in the lineup.
For Boston to win this game, they are going to have to get back to how they played in Game 1 of this series and not let Toronto dictate the pace of the game. It is vital that Boston starts this game with high energy. This is Toronto’s first home playoff game since 2004, so the Air Canada Centre will be rocking and the Bruins need to silence the crowd early. Boston also needs to come out and be the aggressor. There is no reason for the Toronto Maple Leafs should be outhitting the Boston Bruins. When you have players like Zdeno Chara, Milan Lucic and Shawn Thornton on your team, you should not be getting outhit.
Boston knows what they have to do and I am confident that they will make the necessary adjustments and improve on their performance from Game 2.
Game time is set for 7:00 p.m.