If you’re someone who values historical precedent in sports, you should be made aware that the Boston Bruins are really testing your allegiance to that theory.
It just kind of depends on how you look at it.
The B’s blew another opportunity to close out the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday, setting up yet another Game 7 at TD Garden. Boston has been in this situation before, both against this opponent and as recently as last season.
What does the history tell you about Saturday’s potential outcome? How much time do you have?
Let’s start with the most recent example of the Bruins following this path, as it came just last year in their shocking playoff exit against the Florida Panthers. It’s been well-documented, but Boston couldn’t have followed the script any better than it did in back-to-back seasons.
Florida (2023) and Toronto (2024) each fell into 3-1 deficits, made a goaltending change mid-series, took Game 5 in overtime at TD Garden and ultimately ran Boston out of the building in Game 6. You remember how things ended for the Panthers, right?
The Maple Leafs aren’t exactly known for being able to close out the Bruins, however.
It’s shocking how closely this series has followed last year’s roller coaster, but it’s even more shocking how similar things line up with that of two recent Boston-Toronto matchups in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The Bruins, with a win Saturday, would repeat the exact path of the results seen in their series against the Maple Leafs in both 2013 and 2018. Boston, in all three instances, won Game 1, Game 3 and Game 4, with Toronto winning Game 2, Game 5 and Game 6. Jim Montgomery’s squad just needs that Game 7 victory on TD Garden ice to complete the trajectory followed by Claude Julien’s and Bruce Cassidy’s boys.
If you’re looking for some sort of definitive answer as to whether the Bruins have history on their side or not, we can’t give it to you. We can tell you, however, that none of it matters. The B’s aren’t going to be too focused on past experiences in preparation of Game 7, because they’re now facing the death of their season, and will be forced to come out with the same sense of urgency the Leafs have in each of the last two games.
It’s no longer about history, home-ice advantage or lineup changes. The B’s just have to play better from the top down, and if they can’t in this game, it’s a question if this core will even get another opportunity together.
