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Boston Bruins (20-16-4) at Maple Leafs (24-13-2)
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WHEN: Saturday, 7 p.m.
TV: Sportsnet RADIO: FAN 590
ODDS
Boston -235, Toronto +186
THE BUZZ
As always, great interest in whether this is the night Leaf captain Auston Matthews is ready to return, having missed the past six in his ongoing struggle to put an upper body injury to bed … The Bruins are playing a little better under interim head coach Joe Sacco and a regulation win draws them within four points of division leading Toronto … Having chased Boston through many regular seasons and taken three of four points so far (including an Anthony Stolarz shutout here in November) the Leafs want to get in the B’s heads for a change in this first home date of 2025 … Leafs were off Friday, but Joseph Woll likely gets the start in net, with Dennis Hildeby facing Philadelphia in the back-to-back … Toronto just came through two physical victories over the Islanders, while Boston managed just a goal in its two losses to Washington and the Rangers since New Year’s Eve … David Pastrnak has one goal for Boston in his past seven games … Mitch Marner, William Nylander and John Tavares have been held off the board the past couple of games, but right winger Bobby McMann, playing with Max Domi and Nick Robertson, has scored in six of his past eight games, including two Thursday versus the Isles.
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THE NEWS
Each club announced a signing on Friday, Toronto inking defenceman Philippe Myers to a two-year extension, Boston adding forward Mark Kastelic for three more years … Toronto also reclaimed defenceman Dakota Mermis from the Utah Hockey Club to which they’d lost him on waivers last month, and re-assigned him to the AHL Marlies … Saturday’s game will be preceded by the announcement of Toronto’s first and second all-star teams of the century’s first 25 years.
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THE QUOTE
“I think he’s been unbelievable all year. It gives us as a team a lot of confidence. They had great chances. He stood there.” — defenceman Oliver Ekman Larsson on Joseph Woll’s play Thursday against New York, tying his career season win total of 12.
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THE POLL
Who was your favourite Bruin defenceman?
- Bobby Orr
- Zdeno Chara
- Ray Bourque
- Eddie Shore
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THE PROJECTED LEAFS LINEUP
Max Pacioretty John Tavares Mitch Marner
Matthew Knies David Kampf William Nylander
Bobby McMann Max Domi Nick Robertson
Steven Lorentz Connor Dewar Ryan Reaves
Defence
Chris Tanev – Jake McCabe
Morgan Rielly – Philippe Myers
Simon Benoit – Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Goal
Joseph Woll
Dennis Hildeby
INJURIES
Toronto:
G Anthony Stolarz (knee), D Jani Hakanpaa (knee), C Auston Matthews (upper body), F Calle Jarnkrok (groin).
Boston: D Hampus Lindholm (lower body)
THE PREDICTION
Bruins roar again, win 4-3 in overtime.
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