The Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs renew their rivalry Wednesday night at TD Garden in the final game of 2014.
These Atlantic Division rivals are heading in opposite directions as 2015 nears. Boston has won three of its last four games and appears to be turning a corner after a disappointing start to the 2014-15 campaign. The B’s roster also is getting healthier with the returns of first-line center David Krejci and No. 1 defenseman Zdeno Chara following lengthy absences because of injuries.
The Bruins’ most recent performance was an excellent 5-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings.
“I think it was pretty obvious (Monday night)Â that there was a bigger determination and commitment to working hard from start to finish for that matter,” Bruins head coach Claude Julien said after the victory. “This is one of hopefully many, and we need to understand that this is how we have to play and be successful.”
Toronto has lost five of its last six games and gave up at least four goals in four of those defeats. The Leafs are the highest scoring team (3.3 goals per game) but they also rank 25h in goals against (3.0 per game).
Here’s a quick preview of Wednesday’s matchup.
TV, Radio Information: NESN and 98.5 The Sports Hub
Season Series: 1-1-0 (Bruins won 4-1 on Oct. 25, Leafs won 6-1 on Nov. 12)
Record: Boston (19-15-3, sixth in Atlantic), Toronto (20-14-3, fourth in Atlantic)
Bruins Player To Watch: Dougie Hamilton is having a breakout season for the B’s. The 21-year-old defenseman is excelling in a top-pairing role, helping Boston control more than 50 percent of even-strength shot attempts and has tallied 21 points (seven goals, 14 assists) in 37 games. He’s matched his total of seven goals from last season and is four points away from his 2013-14 scoring total.
Hamilton assisted Reilly Smith’s first-period goal in Monday’s win and has four points (two goals, two assists) in his last four games. The Toronto native has posted three points in two games against his hometown Leafs this season, including this sensational goal on Oct. 25.
Leafs Player To Watch: Phil Kessel draws plenty of attention when he plays at TD Garden against his former team. The Leafs’ top forward ranks eighth in the NHL in scoring with 39 points (17 goals, 22 assists) in 37 games. However, he’s failed to find the back of the net in his last six games.
Kessel scored two goals when these teams last played on Nov. 12 at the Air Canada Centre.
Key Stat For Bruins: The Bruins are 12-5-2 when they score first this season, which they did Monday night against the Red Wings. In fact, Boston’s three goals and 19 shots versus Detroit were season highs for a first period. The Leafs have struggled when trailing first this season. They are 5-11-3 when giving up the first goal, compared to 15-3-0 after opening the scoring.
Key Stat For Leafs: Toronto is among the worst puck possession teams in the league and ranks 29th in Corsi-for percentage by controlling just 44.24 percent of even-strength shot attempts. The Leafs also have lost the shot attempt battle in five of the last six games. This should be concerning for Toronto because Boston ranks fifth in even-strength Corsi and dominated puck possession against a quality Red Wings team Monday.
Thumbnail photo via Winslow Townson/Associated Press
