The idea of a Game 7 between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins once seemed nearly impossible, and yet, here we are. In another tight, defensive performance, the Leafs beat the Bruins 2-1 in Game 6 on Thursday to tie the series 3-3.
Toronto had control in the first period, holding the Bruins to a single shot, from Jake DeBrusk while short-handed. Boston had nothing going at five-on-five. The shot attempts between the two clubs were close, but the Bruins couldn’t hit the net. That’s partly because their shots were simply going wide, but the Leafs also did a good job getting in front of their attempts and re-directing shots high and wide.
The Bruins didn’t start to get chances until halfway through the second, and Joseph Woll rose to the challenge. Despite power-play opportunities on both sides, including a double-minor against Boston, it looked as though the game was going to remain without a goal heading into the third until William Nylander scored his first of the playoffs in the final minute. In the third period, both teams pushed for the next goal, and some solid work and lucky bounces kept the puck out of the Leafs’ net.
With time winding down, Nylander got his second goal of the game, putting the Leafs up by two and securing the victory. Morgan Geekie wound up scoring with 0.1 seconds left, and although it hurt Woll’s save percentage, it won’t change the fact that the Leafs’ season is still alive.
Three stars
First star: Joseph Woll
He was so close to his first career playoff shutout, but that doesn’t take away from his performance. Woll didn’t see much action for the first 25 minutes of the game but was sharp. His saves through traffic were strong, but I was more impressed with how he handled those chaotic moments when he was down yet composed, doing his best to take as much of the net away from Boston as possible.
The goals obviously were important, but the timing of them was more meaningful. Late-period goals are anchors, and Nylander’s in the second period likely made a Boston team that wasn’t playing at its best feel even worse. Nylander’s first goal, similar to Jake McCabe’s goal in Game 5, was another example of it never being a bad idea to throw a puck on net, as this one hit Charlie McAvoy along the way.
Knies was going to get a star regardless of whether he got a point or not. The assist was just a bonus.
The 21-year-old was wherever the puck was, offensively and defensively. You could tell the Bruins had an extra eye on him and finished their checks whenever they could, but Knies handled the physicality well and bulldozed through some of those attempts to slow him down.
Two defensive plays, in the first and third periods, stood out the most. David Pastrnak wound up with the puck in the slot in the first period, and Knies, in the correct position, deflected it, stopping it from getting on net. Then, his backcheck from one end of the ice to the other, to get in a position to stop McAvoy, was a well-timed play.
Player Grades
A
Simon Benoit-Jake McCabe
Not much to complain about with these two together, aside from a neutral-zone turnover by Benoit in the second period. These two together have been as steady as it gets.
He’s made for a series like this. His well-timed blocks, especially on the penalty kill, and the way he closes on the opposition in his own end were huge for the Leafs in getting the puck out quickly.
The fourth line didn’t get many chances on net, and totaled three shots. That doesn’t change the fact that they were a strong unit. They spent a lot of time in the offensive zone and kept the puck out of the Bruins’ hands. Those extended shifts were big momentum-wise, especially that near-minute-long shift in the third.
He had helpers on both goals and got a lot of ice time in the final part of the third period. There were times when he seemed to struggle to handle and move the puck, and he got hit in the hand by a puck in the first period.
He was still a positive contributor in the faceoff dot, and easily the fastest player on his line. That steal on Brad Marchand from behind the net in the first period was one of Boston’s best chances to score early, while Domi’s offensive awareness on the rush led to some good chances for himself and his linemates.
He recorded only one shot on the net, but Bertuzzi was all around Swayman. Whether it was his his stick, his body or his skate, he did whatever it took to maintain possession of the puck in the offensive zone.
Timothy Liljgren
He got the primary assist on Nylander’s first goal, and I liked the communication with Rielly on some of Boston’s rushes.
Similar to Knies, Holmberg is hitting another gear when it comes to his physical game.
Mitch Marner
He led all Leafs forwards in ice time and created some rebound chances in front for Bertuzzi. He didn’t get many opportunities to make skilled plays, and that may be a benefit moving forward. Keeping it simple is the way to go in this series.
I’m not sure if anyone had Gregor making his playoff debut in Game 6, but he definitely made good on it. I was looking forward to seeing his regular-season speed and physicality in the postseason, and he made the best of his chance with six hits.
Nick Robertson
I thought his shot in the first period might’ve caught Swayman off-guard. His second shot was the only significant danger that the Leafs created on the power play, while his best chance of the game didn’t lead to anything, as he fanned on the eventual shot. But he got into the corners and initiated contact, which is a plus.
Final grade: A
It was another tight game in which the Leafs didn’t give the Bruins much to work with. When Boston pushed, the Leafs pushed back and retained control. The commitment to blocking shots in the first period, from both the forwards and the defencemen, was huge, even though it didn’t give Woll much to work with. It’s another game in which the Leafs scored only two goals, and the power play doesn’t look anywhere close to being better, but you love the execution and the result.
What’s next for the Leafs?
Game 7. Saturday night, 8 p.m. Hockey Night in Canada. It’s an opportunity for the Leafs to exorcise their demons against a Boston team that needs to redeem itself after a 3-1 series collapse a year ago.
TORONTO – The Toronto Raptors are expected to confirm today that Vince Carter’s No. 15 will be the first number to be retired by the NBA franchise.
Carter will attend an MLSE Foundation event this afternoon at the renovated Vince Carter Court at a park in the city’s northwest end.
Raptors president and vice-chairman Masai Ujiri will also be on hand along with some current players and city officials.
Reports this week said that Canada’s lone NBA team would honour Carter on Nov. 2 when Toronto plays the Sacramento Kings at Scotiabank Arena.
Carter, an eight-time all-star, played parts of seven seasons with the Raptors. He was named NBA rookie of the year in 1999 and won the Slam Dunk Contest in 2000.
He was the Raptors’ first superstar and is credited for raising the profile of the team and igniting enthusiasm for basketball across Canada.
Carter guided the Raptors to the Eastern Conference semifinal in 2001. Toronto had a chance to beat the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 but Carter’s shot at the buzzer hit the rim and bounced out.
He asked for a trade in 2004 and was dealt to New Jersey in a mid-season deal that saw the Raptors receive little in return. The Nets, who are now based in Brooklyn, plan to retire Carter’s number in January.
Carter played 22 seasons in the NBA before retiring after the 2019-20 season. He’ll be enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame next month.
The Raptors are celebrating their 30th anniversary this season.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2024.
NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge hit his major league-leading 58th home run, going deep for the fifth straight game to help the New York Yankees wrap up their second AL East title in three years with a 10-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday night.
Giancarlo Stanton had four RBIs that included his 27th homer, Alex Verdugo also homered and Gerrit Cole outpitched Corbin Burnes in a possible postseason preview. Judge and Stanton homered in the same game for the 14th time this year, tying Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris in 1961 for the most in Yankees history.
New York assured itself a first-round bye and home-field advantage in a best-of-five AL Division Series starting Oct. 5.
Baltimore, which clinched a postseason berth by winning Tuesday night’s opener of the three-game series, will be in a best-of-three Wild Card Series starting Tuesday.
Stanton homered in the second to put the Yankees ahead and hit a three-run double in a six-run sixth.
Judge hit a two-run homer in the seventh against Bryan Baker and has 144 RBIs, the most in the major leagues since Ryan Howard’s 146 in 2008. Judge matched his career best by homering in five consecutive games.
Making his last start before the playoffs, Cole (8-5) allowed two hits in 6 2/3 innings, struck out five and walked one, lowering his ERA to 3.41. He struck out Anthony Santander with a 98.1 mph fastball that ended the eighth after plate umpire David Rackley called a ball on the previous pitch, a knuckle-curve that appeared to be just above the strike zone. Cole glared as the umpire as the pitcher walked back to the dugout.
Cole was given a standing ovation when he walked to the dugout with two outs in the seventh and tipped his cap to the crowd of 42,022.
Burnes (15-9) allowed two hits in five innings, one walk and nine strikeouts — including eight on cutters. Burnes came out after 69 pitches and is likely to start the Orioles’ postseason opener on Tuesday. He had a 1.20 ERA in five September starts.
Stanton lofted a slider at the bottom of the strike zone into the left-field seats after missing badly at a slider on the prior pitch.
Austin Wells, in a 4-for-42 slide, forced in a run when he walked with the bases loaded against Cionel Pérez. Stanton drove the next pitch on one hop to the wall in right-center for a 5-1 lead. Stanton has 72 RBIs after hitting 6 for 18 with two doubles, two homers and eight RBIs in his last five games.
Anthony Rizzo added a two-run single against Baker.
Emmanuel Rivera hit a ninth-inning sacrifice fly for the Orioles.
UP NEXT
Orioles: LHP Cade Povich (2-9, 5.59) starts a series opener at Minnesota on Friday, when LHP Pablo López (15-9, 4.11) will be on the mound for the Twins.
Yankees: LHP Carlos Rodón (16-9, 3.98), 7-2 with a 2.87 ERA since the All-Star break. starts Friday’s series opener against Pirates RHP Jared Jones (6-8, 4.14).
OTTAWA – Noah Ostlund scored the overtime winner for the Buffalo Sabres in a 3-2 pre-season win over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night.
Buffalo’s lineup had a combined total of just over 100 NHL games of experience as most of its regular roster is in Munich, Germany for the upcoming Global Series Challenge.
Felix Sandstrom made 14 saves for the Sabres (4-0-0). Josh Dunne and Isak Rosen had the Buffalo goals.
Adam Gaudette and Noah Gregor scored for Ottawa. Linus Ullmark made his first start in a Senators (3-1-0) uniform and didn’t disappoint, stopping 28 of 29 shots through 30 minutes of play.
Dustin Tokarski made 10 saves over a period and a half.
Ottawa opened the scoring at 7:55 after Carter Yakemchuk made a great defensive play to create a turnover. Gregor was then sent down the wing and he beat Sandstrom on the glove side.
Buffalo tied the game at the 10-minute mark. Vsevolod Komarov made a cross-crease pass to Dunne who stepped into the faceoff circle and beat Ullmark.
Buffalo had a 24-5 edge in shots after the first period.
Gaudette gave Ottawa the lead midway through the third with a power-play goal that was set up by Yakemchuk. Rosen tied it with 40.7 seconds remaining.
The Senators were expected to make a number of cuts after the game to reduce the size of their roster.
NOTES: The Sabres were given a special exemption from the league before the game. Teams usually have to dress a minimum of eight NHL veterans, but Buffalo didn’t have any in its lineup.
UP NEXT: The Senators will take on the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday in Sudbury, while the Sabres will head to Columbus on Saturday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 26, 2024.
