Adversity is always lurking around the corner in the playoffs. The Maple Leafs have already dealt with a significant helping of it in playing Games 1 and 2 without 40-goal scorer William Nylander.
Now it’s the Bruins’ turn.
Coach Jim Montgomery said Tuesday that rugged defenseman Andrew Peeke, who left Game 2 after blocking a shot with the inside of his foot, will be out “week-to-week” and will not be traveling with the team to Toronto for Games 3 and 4 on Wednesday and Saturday.
While Peeke may not be in the same stratosphere as a Nylander, his in-your-face style was exactly what the B’s needed at the trade deadline and he helped to cut down on the B’s defensive lapses that had been cropping up too much. He also helped the penalty kill greatly and was instrumental in killing off a key 4-on-3 situation in Game 1, playing nearly the whole infraction.
Peeke was missed dearly on the PK late in the second period of Game 2 when, with Matt Grzelcykk in the box and Kevin Shattenkirk forced into rare PK duty, the Leafs tied the game.
“It is a tough blow,” said Montgomery of the Peeke loss. “He’s been really good for us. But we’ve played all year and every defenseman that’s on the trip – (Mason) Lohrei, (Parker) Wotherspoon – they’ve played real good hockey for us. So it’s a position of strength for us. The depth is good.”
While Derek Forbort has ben skating and will travel with the team, Montgomery doesn’t see him as an option just yet. The left-shooting Wotherspoon could replace some of the grit lost with Peeke leaving the lineup and it would be an easy replacement with Shattenkirk moving over to his strong side. But an interesting option is the rookie Lohrei. Before the series started, GM Don Sweeney noted that the Ohio State product, who has shuttled between Boston and Providence this season, is offensively gifted, but needs work in his own zone.
“Needs to respect the game a little bit more from a standpoint of defense, taking away time and space, and being as hard on the puck recovery side of things,” said Sweeney on April 18. “But his exits and his offensive blue line stuff, it’s really hard to teach at that size, so we’re really excited about his progression.”
The latter portion of that assessment is something the B’s could use to create more scoring chances. And it sounds like Montgomery is at least toying with the idea of using him.
“His poise with the puck, his ability to find middle ice, his ability to make plays in the offensive zone is something that we’re going to possibly look at for the next game. Also his willingness to back for pucks is a strength,” said Montgomery.
Matthews erupts
Whether it’s been in the regular season or the playoffs, the B’s have usually done a pretty good job on Toronto’s superstar Auston Matthews. But special talents usually emerge at one point or another, and in Game 2, Matthews played a leader’s game and game practically willed the Leafs to victory.
Not only did he create the play that resulted in the tying goal in the first period just seconds after the B’s had taken a lead, and then later scored the game-winner after beating Charlie McAvoy up the ice, he was everywhere. In 23:24 of icetime, he fired 13 shots and landed eight, threw six hits, blocked a shot and won 16-of-23 draws.
The Leafs won’t be easy to beat if Matthews continues to play like that.
“I think we’ve done a pretty good job (in the past). Great players are going to make great plays,” said Montgomery. “What I’ve been impressed about him is how tenacious he’s been on puck, how tenacious he’s been on the forecheck. He’s been relentless with his work ethic. First goal, he wins a battle, rings it off the crossbar and it ends up in our net. The other play (the game-winning breakaway goal), he gets in behind us. We can’t let him get in behind us. That’s the most dangerous man on the ice that you have to be tighter with. He’s the most dangerous man on the ice because he’s earned it.”
Kudos to Leafs
While Matthews led the way, the Leafs in general played a better brand of playoff hockey than the B’s did in Game 2 and they got the result they deserved. While it’s generally noted that Toronto has the edge in skill up front, the Leafs out-willed the B’s on Monday.
“They’re playing a really good playoff-type game right now,” said Marchand. “You knew they would. They’re built different in the past years. They’re playing a lot more physical, very committed to forechecking, playing very tight defensively. You’ve got to give them credit. They’re one of the top teams for a reason. And then when you add their offensive ability on top of that, they’re a tough team to play right now. We’re seeing it. Even the first game. It was a different game than the score. We have to continue to be better. It’s a very tight playoff series. We knew it was going to be a battle and they’ve showed up. They’re playing for keeps. It’s a good challenge.”
Conversely, Marchand doesn’t think we’ve seen the best the Bruins can offer.
“We can be better, for sure,” said Marchand. “There are some areas we need to grow in. Some areas we’ve been good, other areas we need to be better. So we can definitely improve our game and put a better showing out there, for sure.”…
Justin Brazeau joined a small group of players for an optional skate, the first time he’s skated with other players since suffering what’s believed to be a wrist injury in Nashville on April 2.
