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3 things Toronto Maple Leafs did right in do-or-die Game 5
The Toronto Maple Leafs pulled out one of the gutsiest performances of the season on Tuesday, beating the Boston Bruins 2-1 in overtime to send the first-round playoff series back to Toronto for Game 6.
The Leafs were playing without their superstar center, Auston Matthews, yet rallied together to deliver a united team effort. While the series is far from over, here are three main takeaways of what went right for the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 5.
3 things Toronto Maple Leafs did right in Game 5 vs Bruins
#1. Joe Woll
After starting Ilya Samsonov in goal in the first four games of the series, Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe decided to start Joe Woll for Game 5.
Last season, the 25-year-old netminder played brilliantly in the playoffs, relieving Samsonov midway through the first round.
Keefe turned to Woll once again who delivered a 27-save performance, including a crucial stop in overtime that led to Matthew Knies' winner.
It’s almost a given that Woll will be in goal for Game 6. If he can turn into the hot hand, the Leafs may just have a chance to force a Game 7.
#2. A united team effort
It’s surprising how Keefe was forced to deploy all four lines throughout the game without Matthews in the lineup. Typically, the head coach delegates most of the ice time to his big guns, especially down the stretch.
The Toronto Maple Leafs shared equal amounts of ice time tonight, with John Tavares, Mitch Marner and William Nylander all clocking in over 20 minutes each.
However, fourth-liners such as Connor Dewar logged over 10 minutes, while the defense corps averaged over 17 minutes apiece.
Moving forward, Toronto will need to continue this balanced approach, as they are one of the deepest teams in the league.
#3. Playing a much more disciplined game
Tonight’s game featured a much more disciplined Toronto Maple Leafs. They took three total penalties, but only two resulted in Boston powerplays.
Ultimately, the Bruins went 0-for-1 with the man advantage. By staying out of the box, the Leafs took away Boston’s surprisingly effective powerplay this postseason. Most importantly, they kept David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand off the scoresheet.
It’s also worth mentioning the Leafs dominated the faceoff circle. In total, the Leafs won 60.4% of draws, allowing them to control the puck, especially in the offensive zone.
With tonight’s win, the momentum seems to have now swung in the Maple Leafs’ favor. Meanwhile, uncertainty is creeping up on the Boston Bruins as memories of last year’s first-round debacle have come to the forefront.
The two clubs will square off in Toronto in Game 6 on Thursday night. The Bruins hope to put the series to bed, while the Leafs will continue desperate hockey as they try to force a Game 7.
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