BOSTON, MA - APRIL 23: Boston Bruins left defenseman Zdeno Chara (33) leads the Bruins in handshakes after Game 7 of the 2019 First Round Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 23, 2019, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – APRIL 23: Boston Bruins left defenseman Zdeno Chara (33) leads the Bruins in handshakes after Game 7 of the 2019 First Round Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 23, 2019, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
The Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs meet for the first time this season Saturday night in Toronto. This is the first game between the two teams since last year’s seven-game playoff series. Toronto and Boston meet again back at the TD Garden on Tuesday.
The Bruins and Maple Leafs have enjoyed quite the rivalry this decade, thanks in part to three playoff series. Over that span, we’ve seen plenty of moments that certainly will stand the test of time.
Honorable mention: Adam McQuaid squares off with Matt Martin
If you look back on recent history, 2017 is an important year for the Leafs. This was the first season of the Auston Matthewsand Mitch Marnerera.
The era got off to a great start, as Toronto defeated Boston in all four regular season matchups. Toronto even made the playoffs for the first time in years.
Although the Bruins lost every game against Toronto, there are some moments that stand out. One moment is the fight between Adam McQuaidand Matt Martin.
The Leafs originally signed Martin to provide them with the size and toughness to combat bigger teams like Boston. He didn’t really pan out in Toronto, but he represented a change in identity for a young Leafs team.
Martin was a formidable opponent, but he ultimately was no match for McQuaid.
This fight looked relatively meaningless at the time, but looking back, it seems to mean much more. It represented a sort of turning point in the Bruins-Leafs rivalry.
The McQuaid-Martin bout was a sign of things to come for the Bruins and Leafs. It showed how these two teams were destined to square off in big games against each other in the coming years.
5. Pastrnak scores a hat trick in Game 2
The Bruins and Leafs met in an epic seven-game playoff series in 2018. The Bruins managed to win the series, largely because of their fast start.
The Bruins came out strong in the first game, but they were virtually unstoppable in the second. The MVP of the game was David Pastrnak.
Pastrnak recorded his first ever playoff hat trick in Game 2. The Bruins finished with seven goals; Pastrnak scored or assisted on six of them!
Toronto’s defense was definitely a weakness heading into the series, and Pastrnak exploited it all night.
His first goal was an awesome display of skill in front of the net. He corralled a bouncing puck, spun around, and slid it into an empty goal.
After three straight assists, Pastrnak got his second goal of the game in the third period. He walked right in front of the net and roofed it on Toronto’s goalie.
For his grand finale, Pastrnak finished off the hat trick by putting the puck between his legs and sending a backhand into the net.
Pastrnak’s heroics in Game 2 and throughout the entire playoff series against Toronto are a big reason why Boston’s been so successful.
4. Bruins avoid elimination and win Game 6 in Toronto
After falling victim to Boston in seven games in 2018, Toronto was ready for revenge in 2019. The Leafs looked like they could make it happen back home in Toronto.
Toronto won Game 5 in Boston to take a 3-2 lead. That meant Toronto had a chance to eliminate Boston in Game 6 in Toronto. Surely the Leafs would not miss out on this opportunity.
This definitely appeared to be the case when Toronto jumped out to a 1-0 lead halfway through the opening period. The fans exploded, and they certainly were ready to celebrate a series victory.
Boston had other ideas. The Bruins stormed back and scored two goals in the first period. Brad Marchandand Torey Krugeach had a power play tally.
Jake DeBrusk extended Boston’s lead to two in the second period. He redirected a great pass from David Krejciinto the back of the net.
Auston Matthews got one back for Toronto in the third, but Marchand sealed the game with an empty-netter.
Boston’s gritty Game 6 win sent the series to a winner-take-all seventh game, which all but guaranteed another tough summer for Leafs fans.
3. Bruins win Game 7 again in 2019
You know the old cliche: there’s nothing like a Game 7. This isn’t really the case when it comes to Boston and Toronto.
The Bruins and Leafs met in three separate seventh games this decade alone. The most recent one occurred last season. So, it’s safe to say the Bruins and Leafs buck the old cliche, as there always seems to be something new when it comes to game sevens.
After the Bruins saved themselves from elimination in Game 6, they went back home to close the series out in seven. The Bruins looked to eliminate Toronto once again in front of the home fans.
Honestly, nobody really expected the Leafs to have anything left to take down Boston. This definitely was the case, and it was clear from the opening faceoff.
Toronto cut the lead to 2-1 in the second period, but Sean Kuralyended all hopes of a comeback with a great goal early in the third period. Kuraly made a nice move in the neutral zone, flew past the blueline, and ripped a shot into the net.
Boston added two empty-netters to defeat win the game 5-1. For the second time in as many years, the Bruins ended Toronto’s season in April.
2. Bruins win Game 7 in 2018
Boston’s Game 7 victory in 2019 is definitely memorable, but it doesn’t quite holdup compared to the previous year.
The Leafs pretty much had no chance in 2019’s Game 7. They had their chance to win the series in Game 6, but once the Leafs missed that, a Bruins victory was all but assured.
This wasn’t exactly the case in 2018. After the Bruins went up 3-1 in the series, Toronto won two straight games to tie it. This included a Game 5 win to avoid elimination in Boston. As such, most expected the Leafs to hang tough in Game 7.
The Leafs went back and forth with the Bruins in the seventh game, and they even took a one-goal lead into the third period. For a small period of time, the Leafs looked poised to knock off the Bruins and advance to the second round.
The Bruins, however, had other ideas, and they took control of the game and won the series with a dominant third period. Boston scored four unanswered goals in the third and won 7-4.
Krug got things started a little over a minute into the third period. Then, with the game tied, DeBrusk scored the biggest goal of his young career to give Boston a 5-4 lead.
He barreled down the right wing and powered a shot into the net. He famously grabbed the spoked-B on his jersey as he made his way back to the bench to celebrate.
Pastrnak extended the lead midway through the third, then Marchand put the icing on the cake with an empty-net goal. Boston send Toronto home for the seasons and moved on the next round.
1. Bruins come back from 4-1 deficit to win Game 7 in 2013
Was there any doubt which moment would take the top spot?
The Bruins and the Leafs met in the playoffs for the first time this decade in 2013. Like the two most recent series, this one also went to seven games.
Before the series started, most people expected Boston to advance without much of a problem. The Bruins were only two years removed from a Stanley Cup championship, while the Leafs were a scrappy and young team not quite ready to take that next step.
This, however, did not seem to be the case in Game 7 in Boston.
After Matt Bartkowski gave Boston a 1-0 lead, the Leafs took total control. Toronto eventually took a 4-1 lead in the third period after old friend Phil Kesseland future-nemesis Nazem Kadriscored two goals three and half minutes apart.
We all know what happens next.
The Bruins somehow found enough inside them to start an epic third-period comeback. Nathan Horton gave fans hope midway through the third, and then Milan Lucicmade it really interesting with a little over a minute left.
With less than a minute left in the game and possibly the season, Patrice Bergerontied the game with a wrister from the point. He beat James Reimerthrough a screen in front to send the game to overtime.
In overtime, Bergeron scored again to finish as the game’s hero. He hammered home a rebound to send the home crowd into a state of delirium.
Game 7 at TD Garden has become nothing short of a nightmare for Toronto, and it all started in 2013.
Will we see any more memorable moments between the Bruins and Leafs in the 2019-2020 season? The answer is yes. Don’t be surprised if the two teams meet again in the first round of the playoffs. At this point, it seems like destiny.
