The Toronto Maple Leafs have lost two Game 7s to the Boston Bruins in the past decade (first round in 2013 and 2018). The question entering Tuesday night is simple: Are these Leafs a different team capable of creating a different outcome? I think the answer is yes.
Toronto has been a respond-to-adversity squad throughout this first-round series. The loser of the previous game has bounced back to win the next game in this series and Toronto is 2-0 off a loss already. The Maple Leafs outplayed the Bruins in Games 1 and 5 at TD Garden and going on the road for this decisive game shouldn’t bother them.
Going into Game 7 last year against Boston, the Leafs still had a relatively inexperienced group in terms of the playoffs. This year all those players are a year older, wiser and more experienced and the additions of playoff veterans such as John Tavares and Jake Muzzin. I believe it’s the Leafs time to finally rid themselves of the demons of playoff seasons past and slay the Bruins dragon.
The pick: Maple Leafs, +120.