This is what the Stanley Cup playoffs are made of...going to game 7 and you can feel the excitement in the air in both Boston and Toronto. Also, keep in mind that a Canadian team has not won the Stanley Cup since 1993, so there’s lots of pressure on the Toronto Maple Leafs. And, the city of Toronto has been waiting for years for their team to get into the playoffs and be contenders for the cup. But they are going to have to beat Boston to do it, and that’s not going to be easy by any stretch. They especially aren’t going to win if they keep relying on their goalie Frederik Andersen to save the game.
Boston was dominating the series earlier, but in games 5 and 6, Toronto has shown they can win and keep the momentum going their way and over time really surprised the Bruins. Toronto came to the game determined and stayed alive in Game 6, winning 3-1 at home as Frederik Andersen stopped 32 shots. The Bruins were getting hurt with the Leafs' stretch pass in transition, which is another example of how speed is your biggest asset. In today’s NHL playoffs, you simply can’t play defensively and expect to advance on to the next series. So strap on your safety belt game 7 is going to be a fast paced, do or die fighting match which will be played at the Boston Gardens this Wednesday at 7:30 PM ET, NBCSN, CBC, SN, TVA Sports.
You’ll want to place your bets on this game and see if a Canadian team can advance. Skate on over to Bovada where you can bet on Hockey and get a free 50% bonus. Talk about some free ice time, well that is one offer you’re sure to score big on. Bruins are still the favorite as of Tuesday morning, 59% of all tickets written supported the Bruins. That may be where the public is going, but for NHL picks everyone will find that regulation line that requires us to lay only -110. As always in the NHL playoffs it comes down to how well the goalies are playing and Toronto’s goaltender Frederik Andersen stopped the Bruins in their tracks for the Leafs in all three of those wins, making up for his poor performance earlier in the series.
Both these teams have a long history in the NHL and the Bruins hold an all-time record of 13-12 in Game 7s, including a 12-8 mark on home ice. This will mark Boston's 26th appearance in a Game 7, breaking a tie with the Detroit Red Wings (25) for the most in NHL history. In 2011 they beat the Vancouver Canucks in game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals. But the Maple Leafs own an all-time record of 12-10 in Game 7s, including a 5-9 mark on the road. The Bruins will have home ice advantage and they are the favourites to win it all. But Toronto does have the momentum on their side, and remember Boston had that when they beat the Canucks to win the Stanley Cup finals.
It’s going to be a goaltenders game in this one. Boston’s Tuukka Rask needs to match Toronto’s Andersen, to make the great saves, and also the saves that are there for the taking. The Boston defense needs to tighten up and the offense needs to hit the net. Whoever wins, this NHL playoff game will surely be entertaining and for first round of the playoffs the winner of this series could potentially go on to take the cup.
