Preview: Bruins host Maple Leafs as divisional race continues

Just the facts

When: Tonight, 7:00 PM

Where: TD Garden – Boston, MA

How to follow: NESN, TVAS, 98.5 The Sports Hub

Rival SBN site: Pension Plan Puppets

Know your enemy

• 41-19-5, 87PTS, 3rd in Atlantic Division
• Auston Matthews: 60GP, 48G, 35A, 83PTS; Mitchell Marner: 56GP, 27G, 47A, 74PTS; John Tavares: 64GP, 22G, 39A, 61PTS
• Jack Campbell: 24-9-4, 2.65 GAA, .914 save percentage

Game notes

• The Boston Bruins are back for game three of their homestand tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs! It’s the Leafs first time at the TD Garden since October 22, 2019.
• The Original Six match-up is sure to have a playoff-feel, as the divisional race continues and two more crucial points are up for grabs. The Bruins held the second seat in the Atlantic Division for part of the weekend. But with two Tampa Bay wins and one from the Leafs, the B’s are now tied at 87 points with the Leafs and in the first wild-card spot.
• Tonight is only the two’s second meeting of their three-game season series. They last saw each other back on November 6, 2021. The Bruins didn’t fair so well that night - dropping the game 5-2. Taylor Hall got on the board with a power-play goal, but Toronto scored the next four goals. David Pastrnak cut into their lead in the third period, but Marner cushioned the score for the Maple Leafs in the game’s final minute. Tavares ended the night with two goals and Matthews had a pair of power-play goals in the second.
• The Bruins are on a four game win streak, thanks to their 6-3 routing of the New York Islanders on Saturday. Six different players scored and the B’s finally broke through on the power play. It was the first time this season that six different players registered a goal. It was also their third-highest scoring game (they’ve had two wins this season with seven goals).
• The B’s second line has six out of nine Bruins’ goals in the last two games – five of those on 5v5 and one on the power play. Erik Haula is now on a three-game point streak with seven points on one goal and six assists. Pastrnak is on a two-game goal streak with four goals while Hall has four points in his last two games.
• With Patrice Bergeron back in the mix, the Bruins’ finally scored on the power play again. Tonight, the Bruins will face the best power play currently in the NHL. The Leafs are 29.2% on the power play, while the Bruins are 23.7%. The Maple Leafs also hold a slight advantage on the penalty kill at 84.2% to the Bruins’ 81.5%.
• The Leafs have some impressive point streaks going right now. Matthews is on a nine-game point streak with 11 goals and four assists. Marner is on a six-game streak with four goals and eight assists.
• The Maple Leafs are 3-2-0 in their last five games and 6-5-1 in March. Toronto bumped to third in the Atlantic Division on Sunday following their 5-2 win over the Florida Panthers. After a 3-2 lead heading in the final frame, the Leafs scored twice in the third to come away with the victory. Tavares scored twice, while Marner had a three-point night.

See ya tonight!