The Boston Bruins are making some changes to their lineup ahead of Game 6 on May 2 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Boston had a chance to eliminate Toronto on April 30 at home in Game 5, but the Maple Leafs edged out a 3-2 OT win. In Game 5, Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery decided to change his lineup, but after the loss, the coach is once again tinkering with his lines.
Boston decided to scratch Johnny Beecher and Kevin Shattenkirk in Game 5, and both will return to the lineup in Game 6. However, forward Danton Heinen is out of the lineup due to an undisclosed reason, Montgomery revealed.
Ahead of Game 6, the Bruins lineup is projected to look like this, based on line rushes during morning skate while Jeremy Swayman remains the starting goalie:
Forwards:
Marchand-Coyle-Geekie
DeBrusk-Zacha-Pastrnak
Van Riemsdyk-Frederic-Brazeau
Beecher-Boqvist-Maroon
Defensemen:
Lohrei-McAvoy
Lindholm-Carlo
Wotherspoon-Shattenkirk
Goalies:
Swayman
Ullmark
Bruins Lacked ‘Urgency’ in Game 5
Boston suffered a 3-2 OT loss in Game 5 in a game the Bruins only had 2 shots on goal in the first period.
It was a lackluster start for Boston who could have closed out the series at home, and Brad Marchand says the team lacked some urgency.
“We needed better urgency,” Marchand said, via NHL.com. “We knew they were going to come and compete hard and be prepared, so we needed to be better. It is what it is. Can’t dwell on it. Got to look at what we can be better at and prepare for the next one… The hardest (win) to get is that last one, and you know, like I said, they came and they left it all out there. That’s just, we need to be better. That’s all it is.”
The Bruins did blow a 3-1 series lead last year to the Florida Panthers in the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs. However, Montgomery said it isn’t the same as this team is different, according to NHL reporter Chris Johnston.
“We talked about it yesterday and we’ve moved on because we’ve grown from it,” Montgomery said.
Boston can close out the series on May 2 in Toronto with puck drop set for 8 p.m. Eastern time.
Maple Leafs to be Without Auston Matthews
Toronto will look to extend the series to a Game 7 on May 2 but will do so without Auston Matthews in the lineup.
Matthews missed Game 5 due to an illness, after leaving after the second period in Game 4. Ahead of Game 6 on May 2, Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed Matthews would be out of the lineup again, according to Mark Masters.
Despite Matthews not being in the lineup, the Maple Leafs still have confidence they can beat Boston for the second straight game.
“I think it’s more just the confidence our team has and how it’s responded when players have been out, even in this series alone,” Keefe said, via NHL.com. “We had no William (Nylander) in Game 1 and still no William in Game 2, but you have to find a way to win a game on the road and obviously we don’t get that win, we’re not here talking the way things have gone. We have confidence there, we can trust in the group and if anything, it just shows the strength of the group and the importance of the group not looking to others to do the job, but just doing your part and then trusting the group will find a way to prevail in the end.”
If the Maple Leafs defeat the Bruins on May 2, Game 7 will take place on May 4 in Boston.
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