Stop us if you’ve heard this before: the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs will play a Game 7.
The Bruins forced a winner-take-all showdown in the teams’ first-round Stanley Cup Playoffs series by defeating the Maple Leafs 4-2 in Game 6 on Sunday. Boston will host Game 7 on Tuesday night at TD Garden (coverage begins at 6 p.m. ET on NESN), marking the second season in row and the third time in seven years the B’s will welcome the Leafs to town for a do-or-die playoff clash.
The mere thought of a Game 7 at TD Garden should be enough to give you chills. But the recent history between the Bruins and Maple Leafs adds another spine-tingling element.
Simply put, these Game 7s have been kind to Boston, whereas Toronto probably still has nightmares about what transpired in 2013 and 2018.
First, let’s look back on the Bruins’ epic comeback in 2013:
The Leafs held a 4-1 lead about midway through the third period, but the Bruins refused to go down without a fight. Boston netted three unanswered goals, including two in the final 1:22, to force overtime, with Nathan Horton, Milan Lucic and Patrice Bergeron responsible for the scoring.
Bergeron then put the finishing touches on the comeback, scoring 6:05 into the extra period. And everyone at TD Garden, including NESN’s Jack Edwards, went completely crazy.
The Bruins’ Game 7 victory over the Maple Leafs in 2013 paved the way for Boston to reach its second Stanley Cup Final in three seasons. The B’s ultimately lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in six games, but the thrilling comeback over the Leafs sure was special, especially since it came just weeks after the Boston Marathon bombings as the city continued to mourn.
Flash forward to 2018, and the Bruins did it again. The hole wasn’t quite as deep, but Boston trailed entering the third period before scoring four unanswered goals to secure a 7-4 win.
The Bruins again fell short in their quest for the Cup, this time losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games in the next round. But that Game 7 in 2018 sets the stage for this year’s series-deciding contest, which should be very entertaining given the first six games and the talent on each roster.
NESN’s coverage of Game 7 on Tuesday night will begin at 6 p.m. ET with “Bruins Face-Off Live” and continue when the puck drops at 7 p.m. ET. Stay tuned after the game for “Bruins Overtime Live.”
