While Boston Bruins will play a decisive Game 7 in their Eastern Conference quarterfinals, the Toronto Maple Leafs have advanced to the semifinals by defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round.
You read that correctly. The Leafs won a playoff series. It’s the first time since 2004 that Toronto has made it out of the first round.
So what does that mean for the Bruins?
Well, if the Bruins can play to their standards and defeat the Florida Panthers, they will face the Leafs for the 17th time in postseason history, with the all-time series tied at eight apiece. Fans of both franchises will remember 2013 as either the epic comeback or the epic collapse, depending on which team you root for.
If the Black and Gold can take care of business on Sunday night, which team — Boston or Toronto — has more to prove if they were to meet again?
The Bruins already have the pressure of erasing the Presidents’ Trophy curse, not to mention with all the absurd records they met or broke this year would certainly be for nothing if they don’t win the Cup, right?
Toronto, they’ve already slayed one dragon and got the monkey off their back by getting out of the first round, but the Bruins have beaten the Leafs in three Game 7s (2013, 2018 and 2019), so if they could defeat the Bruins, they would erase more of the heartbreaking playoff history. Guess the fans are more afraid of the Bruins than they let on. Leaf fans were filmed in Maple Leaf Gardens chanting, “We want Florida.”
Why are they trying to dodge Boston? Do they not have any faith in their favorite team?
Most Bruins fans would welcome the chance to send Toronto packing (again).
