Maple Leafs vs Bruins April 25 2018 Preview
BRUINS TO HOST MAPLE LEAFS IN GAME 7 TONIGHT
The First Round of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs will come to a dramatic close on Wednesday when the Bruins host the Maple Leafs in Game 7 at TD Garden in Boston – the lone remaining game of the opening round.
The winner of tonight’s showdown will advance to the Second Round and face the Lightning, the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
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 Detroit (25) for the most in NHL history. The Maple Leafs own an all-time record of 12-10 in Game 7s, including a 5-9 mark on the road.
Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara will be making his 12th career Game 7 appearance, the most among active players and one behind all-time leaders Patrick Roy and Scott Stevens (13).
Game 6 highlights
GAME 7 HISTORY: BOSTON VS. TORONTO
Boston holds a 2-1 edge in three previous head-to-head Game 7 matchups against Toronto, winning each by one goal:
May 13, 2013 in Boston – Bruins 5, Maple Leafs 4 (OT)
The Maple Leafs rallied from a 3-1 series deficit to force a Game 7 against the Bruins in the 2013 Conference Quarterfinals. Boston closed out the series by becoming the first team in NHL history to overcome a three-goal, third-period deficit to win in a Game 7. Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron had a legendary performance in the final contest, recording 2-1—3 including the tying goal with 51 seconds remaining in regulation and the overtime winner.
A total of 11 players on the current Bruins and Maple Leafs rosters skated in that game – seven from Boston (Bergeron, Zdeno Chara, Anton Khudobin, David Krejci, Brad Marchand, Adam McQuaid and Tuukka Rask) and four from Toronto (Jake Gardiner, Nazem Kadri, Leo Komarov and James van Riemsdyk).
April 7, 1959 in Boston – Maple Leafs 3, Bruins 2
The Maple Leafs trailed 2-1 heading into the third period of Game 7 in the 1959 Semifinals before Bob Pulford and Gerry Ehman scored in the final frame – with Ehman’s winner coming with just 2:33 remaining in regulation – to give Toronto a 3-2 victory and a berth in the Stanley Cup Final (4-1 L vs. MTL). Ehman, who would eventually capture his lone career Stanley Cup with Toronto in 1964, led all skaters in the Maple Leafs-Bruins series with 6-3—9.
April 3, 1941 in Boston – Bruins 2, Maple Leafs 1
Game 7 of the 1941 Semifinals saw the Bruins rally from a 1-0 deficit in the first period with tallies from Flash Hollett and Mel Hill to hold on for a 2-1 victory. With the win, Boston advanced to the Stanley Cup Final where they swept Detroit in four games.
GAME 7 QUICK HITS
Of the 169 all-time Game 7s in the Stanley Cup Playoffs:
- The team that scores first is 126-43 (.746).
- Home teams own a 99-70 (.586) advantage.
- Forty-one have required overtime (24.2%). Home teams have a 21-20 edge.
Most Game 7 Appearances, All Time
Patrick Roy: 13
Scott Stevens: 13
Glenn Anderson: 12
Ken Daneyko: 12
Stephane Yelle: 12
Zdeno Chara: 11
Dave Andreychuk: 11
Doug Gilmour: 11
Al MacInnis: 11
Mark Recchi: 11
Most Game 7 Appearances, Active
Zdeno Chara, BOS: 11
Nicklas Backstrom, WSH: 10
Marian Hossa, CHI: 10
Milan Lucic, EDM: 10
Alex Ovechkin, WSH: 10
Patrice Bergeron, BOS: 9
Valtteri Filppula, PHI: 9
Mike Green, DET: 9
Carl Hagelin, PIT: 9
Chris Kunitz, TBL: 9
GAME 1 SCENARIOS ANNOUNCED FOR SECOND ROUND
Two Second Round series will begin Thursday, followed by one each starting on Friday and Saturday. Full schedule HERE.
ENGELLAND, SIMMONDS AND WHEELER NAMED FINALISTS FOR MARK MESSIER NHL LEADERSHIP AWARD
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Deryk Engelland, Philadelphia Flyers right wing Wayne Simmonds and Winnipeg Jets right wing Blake Wheeler are the three finalists for the 2017-18 Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award, presented “to the player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice, during the regular season and who plays a leading role in his community growing the game of hockey,” the National Hockey League announced today.
Mark Messier solicits suggestions from club and League personnel to compile a list of potential candidates for the award. However, the selection of the three finalists and ultimate winner is Messier’s alone. The winner will be announced Wednesday, June 20, during the 2018 NHL Awards in Las Vegas.
Following are the finalists for the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award, in alphabetical order:
Deryk Engelland, D, Vegas Golden Knights
Engelland registered a career-high 18 assists and 23 points while serving as the backbone of a Golden Knights team that achieved unprecedented success for an expansion franchise. He also was a fixture in the Las Vegas community following the tragic events of Oct. 1. A longtime Las Vegas resident, Engelland delivered a passionate pregame speech prior to the club’s home opener on Oct. 10. Engelland and his wife, Melissa, started a program inviting those affected by the tragedy to Golden Knights home games throughout the season, meeting and thanking each guest after the games. Away from the rink, Engelland partnered with Ronald McDonald House and Three Square to help children and families in need. He also continued a five-year relationship with local firefighters that has raised more than $40,000 for children who cannot afford to play hockey.
Wayne Simmonds, RW, Philadelphia Flyers
Simmonds recorded his fifth straight 20-goal season to propel the Flyers to their eighth playoff berth in the past 11 years. He hosted a different military unit in a private suite during every other home game, meeting each group at the end of the evening. Simmonds also reached out to a group of hockey players from the U.S. Air Force, inviting them to practice and even skating with them following their tour of duty. Simmonds, who has served on the board of directors for the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation since 2014, continued to spend significant time with children from the program. He also made efforts to grow the sport in his hometown of Scarborough, Ont., where he has hosted Wayne’s Road Hockey Warriors each summer since 2012.
Blake Wheeler, RW, Winnipeg Jets
Winnipeg’s captain since 2016-17, Wheeler shared the League lead with 68 assists and collected a career-high 91 points to guide the Jets to their best season in franchise history. He also took on a greater role in the community, highlighted by his work as an ambassador with the True North Youth Foundation (TNYF), which aims to provide consistent and innovative programs for underserved youth in Manitoba. Wheeler launched several initiatives within TNYF during a summer visit to Camp Manitou. During the season, he spent time with students at several events, including classroom visits, the Winnipeg Jets Gala Dinner and as an on-ice instructor for the Winnipeg Jets Hockey Academy, a play-based program designed to increase school attendance as well as high school graduation rates in socially- and economically-challenged schools in the city.
History
Presented in honor of one of hockey’s great leaders, the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award was first handed out in 2007.