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Series over? Charting paths to a Game 5 win for Bruins, Leafs
The series is 3-1 for Boston and the sky is falling in Toronto.The Maple Leafs winning three straight games against the Bruins after Saturday night's dramatic and dreadful Game 4 showing on home ice? Yeah, seems highly unlikely. Yet, nothing's set in stone in the NHL playoffs.For instance, the Bruins failed to close out their first-round series the past two postseasons, losing in seven games to Carolina in 2021-22 and Florida last season despite holding leads of 3-2 and 3-1, respectively.Here's each team's path to victory in Game 5, which goes Tuesday in Boston.Leafs' perspective Mark Blinch / Getty ImagesThe Leafs weren't just a good offensive team in the regular season. They were elite, placing first in five-on-five goal-scoring and seventh in power-play efficiency.Through four games against Boston, Toronto's down 7-6 at five-on-five while producing a mere one goal in a league-high 25 power-play minutes. Forget about winning the series. In order to earn a second win, the Leafs need to throw absolutely everything they have at the Bruins on Tuesday. The attack needs to open up: pace, purpose, and to the hell with it, lots of risk too.It all begins with cleaning up the transition game. (Toronto's zone exits were particularly bad in Game 1 and its zone entries were particularly bad in Game 4.) Once inside Boston's zone, the Leafs must start accomplishing two things simultaneously: good puck movement and good player movement. Boston's defenders have rarely appeared gassed during a shift. Toronto's too static.So many of the Leafs' scoring chances - both at even strength and on the power play - have looked dangerous at first, but in reality, haven't been terribly difficult to stop. They've been jamming the puck into the goalie's pads instead of prioritizing full-release shots from the slot. The Bruins are certainly playing a role in this, but the Leafs are capable of maneuvering the zone better. Rich Graessle / Getty ImagesHead coach Sheldon Keefe should dress his most offensive lineup in Game 5.Let's assume for a second that Auston Matthews is over his illness and available but Bobby McMann remains out. Firstly, Keefe should sub in Noah Gregor for Ryan Reaves to create a speedier fourth line (Reaves is due for a scratch anyway after another defensive-zone blunder in Game 4), and secondly, reinsert Timothy Liljegren for Joel Edmundson to add mobility to the blue line.There are downsides to these changes, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Keefe should also juggle his forward lines to spread out the skill. Aside from taking some dumb penalties, Domi's had a strong series. Perhaps he can cook against weaker competition in the third-line center spot.
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