Maple Leafs’ Parade to the Penalty Box Invites Trouble

One glaring issue stands out in the ongoing playoff series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins: the Maple Leafs struggle on special teams. The Bruins have capitalized on their power-play opportunities through three games, scoring five goals on ten chances. At the same time, the Maple Leafs have only managed to convert once on eleven attempts.

This stark contrast in special teams performance has disadvantaged the Maple Leafs significantly. Boston’s combined special teams percentage far surpassed theirs. It seems that almost half the time the Bruins get a power play, they score.

The Maple Leafs Are Playing Good Hockey Five-on-Five

The importance of disciplined play becomes even more apparent when analyzing the statistics at 5-on-5. Despite holding the edge in shot attempts, shots on goal, and expected goals, the Maple Leafs find themselves on equal footing with the Bruins in scoring.

This parity can be attributed, in part, to the two team’s goaltending performance. While the Bruins’ netminders have posted impressive numbers, Ilya Samsonov of the Maple Leafs has struggled. He’s allowed nine goals on 86 shots for a save percentage of just 0.895%. While their strong performance at even strength gives the Maple Leafs hope they can win the series, they also need improved goaltending from Samsonov.