Game 7 comes with potentially major shift for Bruins and Maple Leafs
As if the drama of a Game 7 between the Bruins and Maple Leafs (the fourth one between these rivals since 2013) was not enough, a new layer of intrigue has been added to the equation.
And it’s come in goal, with Ilya Samsonov the one who led the Maple Leafs onto the ice for the pregame warmup, which is an indication that he will get the call in net for Toronto.
In net for the first four games of the series, Samsonov went 1-3 in goal for the Maple Leafs, and allowed 12 goals on 103 shots, good for an .883 save percentage.
Joseph Woll, who got the net in Games 5 and 6 and stopped all but two of the 56 shots he faced (a .964 save percentage) by the Bruins, was not even on the ice for the pregame warmup, indicating that it will be Martin Jones who serves as Samsonov’s backup in Game 7.
The current belief around the rink is that Woll, who missed time with a high-ankle sprain earlier this season, was injured on the last-second save attempt on the B’s lone goal in Game 6.
The Bruins, meanwhile, will stick with Jeremy Swayman.
And while there’s some doubt in the cage, the Leafs appear set to get what would be a significant boost to their skater lineup, with Auston Matthews on the ice for the pregame warmup after taking part in Toronto’s morning skate. Matthews has missed the last two games with an undisclosed injury.
At the other end of the rink, the Bruins will be without versatile winger Danton Heinen for the second straight game, as Heinen battles an undisclosed injury.
The Bruins will go through a top-six shake-up, too, with Pavel Zacha projected to move from center to left wing, while Morgan Geekie moves between Zacha and David Pastrnak on the Black and Gold’s top line. That will reunite Jake DeBrusk with Brad Marchand and Charlie Coyle on the B’s second line.
