Folk’s, what’s really left to say on this series. At times some players have been great and at other times they were underwhelming. Sometimes the series looked to be going the Leafs way, and at other times it looked like it Boston was dominating. We’ve had our highs and lows, and really the only constant has been the amazing play of Freddie Andersen, a magical goaltender who has taught me to love Leafs goaltending again.

We started with a best of seven series and now we’re down to a single elimination game yet again. History hasn’t been kind to the Leafs in this regard, but thankfully they’re not playing the game in the past, they’re playing in Boston, which just seems like past. The Leafs have all the talent they need to take this game, but unfortunately that is also true of Boston. And once the puck drops it doesn’t matter that the Leafs are due, and the odds favour Boston, it’s just going to be the most intense sixty minutes of hockey that a generation of Leafs fans has ever seen. A 15 year old Leafs fan has never seen the second round in their lifetime. Most of us haven’t seen the Leafs beyond the Conference finals in our lifetime, and in the year of first round upsets, the Leafs could very quickly become the Cup favourites.

But no pressure.

This series has been an absolute gem. It’s been intense, fast, physical, and given us the highs and lows we seek in sports fandom. Unfortunately for Boston, this is where you have to get off. It’s time for the Leafs to build a new rivalry with the *checks notes* Columbus Blue Jackets (sigh.)

Lineups

LW	C	RW	Forwards
ZACH HYMAN Rating: 73.9#49 LW	JOHN TAVARES Rating: 81.9#10 C	MITCH MARNER Rating: 78.5#17 RW	FL1 Rating Rating: 78.09#20 FL1
ANDREAS JOHNSSON Rating: 75.3#36 LW	AUSTON MATTHEWS Rating: 83.6#5 C	KASPERI KAPANEN Rating: 74.1#44 RW	FL2 Rating Rating: 77.66#3 FL2
PATRICK MARLEAU Rating: 72.5#72 LW	WILLIAM NYLANDER Rating: 75.3#47 C	CONNOR BROWN Rating: 70.2#112 RW	FL3 Rating Rating: 72.66#13 FL3
TYLER ENNIS Rating: 72.2#80 LW	FREDERIK GAUTHIER Rating: 69.2#179 C	TREVOR MOORE Rating: 73.0#63 RW	FL4 Rating Rating: 71.47#10 FL4

DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS		Defense
MORGAN RIELLY Rating: 79.6#5 LD	RON HAINSEY Rating: 73.2#54 RD	DL1 Rating Rating: 76.39#12 DL1
JAKE MUZZIN Rating: 75.9#19 LD	NIKITA ZAITSEV Rating: 71.0#86 RD	DL2 Rating Rating: 73.45#20 DL2
JAKE GARDINER Rating: 76.9#16 LD	TRAVIS DERMOTT Rating: 74.7#29 RD	DL3 Rating Rating: 75.83#1 DL3

A win away from Kadri being back and that lineup being a whole lot happier, but in the meantime this lineup card has served us well-ish. I mean, Marleau and Brown as Nylander’s wingers is far less than ideal, but a wise man by the name of Ryan Fancey has the right idea with his workaround…

To this point in the series #91 and #34 have floated around 20 minutes of ice-time in the six games leading us here. Tomorrow it has to be different. The Leafs have decent depth in their lineup, but they’re fortunate enough to also be a top heavy team; 25 shifts apiece for their top two centers shouldn’t be enough for game seven. Everything in the tank needs to be emptied.

LW	C	RW	Forwards
BRAD MARCHAND Rating: 86.6#1 LW	PATRICE BERGERON Rating: 84.6#4 C	DAVID PASTRNAK Rating: 83.9#4 RW	FL1 Rating Rating: 85.06#1 FL1
JAKE DEBRUSK Rating: 77.0#26 LW	DAVID KREJCI Rating: 77.4#30 C	MARCUS JOHANSSON Rating: 73.5#56 RW	FL2 Rating Rating: 75.95#7 FL2
DANTON HEINEN Rating: 74.2#46 LW	CHARLIE COYLE Rating: 72.4#96 C	KARSON KUHLMAN	FL3 Rating Rating: 73.33#5 FL3
JOAKIM NORDSTROM Rating: 69.7#129 LW	NOEL ACCIARI Rating: 70.0#160 C	CHRIS WAGNER Rating: 69.7#125 RW	FL4 Rating Rating: 69.79#30 FL4

DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS		Defense
ZDENO CHARA Rating: 75.3#25 LD	CHARLIE MCAVOY Rating: 78.1#18 RD	DL1 Rating Rating: 76.73#11 DL1
TOREY KRUG Rating: 81.1#3 LD	BRANDON CARLO Rating: 72.9#55 RD	DL2 Rating Rating: 77.03#4 DL2
JOHN MOORE Rating: 71.5#95 LD	MATT GRZELCYK Rating: 73.1#51 RD	DL3 Rating Rating: 72.30#11 DL3

A lot of good players here. Can’t wait to see them at the Men’s World Hockey Championships. Hope Matthews and Tavares get to see a lot of that Moore/Grzelcyk pairing.

Goaltenders

The two stars of the series will be back in their respective nets tonight.

Nothing more to say. Game Seven starts at 7pm ET on CBC and Sportsnet. Seems like it will be a long day waiting for this.