Game 4 Preview: Stranglehold or tie?

Just the facts

When: Tonight, 7 PM

Where: Air Canada Centre, Toronto, Ontario

How to follow: NESN, 98.5 The Sports Hub, NBCSN (out of market)

Rival SBN site: Pension Plan Puppets

State of the series: Bruins up 2 games to 1

Know your enemy

• Mitch Marner: 1G, 3A, 4PTS; Morgan Rielly: 0G, 4A, 4PTS
• Frederik Andersen: 1-2-0, 4.55 GAA, 0.885 sv %

Game notes

• It’s Game 4, always among the biggest in a 7-game series. The Bruins will either head home with a chance to end it, or will head home looking at a 3-game series. Momentum should be on the Leafs’ side after their Game 3 win, but the two full off days between games could stem that tide a bit.
• For the Bruins, they don’t need to change much in Game 4 aside from adding some finish. The B’s had tons of golden chances on Monday night, seeming to hit the post about 43 times. Frederik Andersen stood on his head as well, but I’d argue he didn’t so much steal the game as the Bruins just left the game on the table.
• Obvious alert: score first. The team that scores first has won all three games. If the Bruins can jump out to a lead, the restless ACC crowd could force the Leafs to take some chances and open things up.
• Good news on the injury front: it looks like Matt Grzelcyk should be back in the lineup, with Nick Holden coming out. Holden wasn’t atrocious Monday, but the Bruins will benefit from having Grzelcyk’s speed and skating game back on the blueline.
• I wouldn’t expect any other changes in the Bruins’ lineup: it looks like Ryan Donato will remain the odd-man out, with Tommy Wingels and Brian Gionta also watching from the sidelines.

See ya tonight!