Game 3 of the Boston Bruins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs first-round series was dominated by one man, but the fans of the losing club aren’t quite happy with how he elevated the victorious team.
In the opening game played in Canada on Wednesday, April 24, the Bruins defeated the Leafs 4-2 to reclaim home-ice advantage. Boston already leads the first-round series 2-1, and Brad Marchand, the captain of the Bruins, was a major factor in the most recent victory.
Marchand scored twice, once the game-winning goal that gave Boston a 3-2 lead and again with an empty-net goal late in the period to make it 4-2 for the Bruins.
But following the game, Sheldon Keefe, the head coach of the Maple Leafs, was shocked by what he saw from Marchand in Game 3. I apologize for giving anything away, but the coach didn’t go into detail about his goal-scoring prowess.
Following the game on April 24, Keefe told reporters, “You’ve got to recognize the world-class player both in ability and how he plays, the gamesmanship and everything.” It is of the highest caliber. He has sufficient experience in the league.
He receives calls, as you can see. The way it works is truly rather unbelievable. You have to put things aside and play. You have to put up with those stuff. It is artistic. He is exceptionally skilled at it.
Brad Marchand Didn’t Get Call For Penalties in Game 3
The Bruins’ captain has led his team in assists with four and scored two goals in the opening three games of their first-round series against the Leafs.
However, Keefe brought up the fact that officials aren’t penalizing Marchand’s actions sufficiently.
“I don’t think any other player in this series manages to take out Tyler Bertuzzi’s legs in the same way that [Marchand did],” Keefe remarked. In this series, no other player gets away with doing it. However, he does.
Keefe’s remark alluded to Marchand’s play just prior to the Bruins’ goal that tied the score at one in the second period.After Marchand tripped Leafs forward Tyler Bertuzzi, creating a passing route, Trent Frederic scored.
Though it’s reasonable to argue that Leafs goalkeeper Ilya Samsonov might have done more to block Frederic’s shot, Marchand’s unpunished conduct undoubtedly assisted the Bruins in setting up a play that would have scored a goal.
Brad Marchand of the Bruins escaped with a few questionable actions
Towards the end of the game, with the Bruins leading Toronto 3-2, Marchand appeared to settle another questionable legal action involving Bertuzzi that did not warrant a penalty. Marchand grabbed a rebound after that hit and scored the game’s last empty-net goal for the Bruins.
Throughout Game 3, the captain and Bertuzzi had a few more conversations, which took place both before and after the final horn blew inside the arena.
Matthew Knies of the Leafs spoke following the game, echoing Keefe’s sentiments regarding Marchand’s play and behavior. The Leafs player continued by bringing up the referees and how Marchand appeared to influence their choices.
“He wants to get under our skin and influence the refs,” Knies told reporters postgame. “I think we’ve just got to be composed and not kind of get into that (expletive). Just play hard and make him [less] effective.”
Marchand Doesn’t Think He Did Anything Wrong
The main perpetrator of the aforementioned actions and Keefe’s Hockey Freedy Krueger touched on what happened during Game 3 and his relationship with Bertuzzi, with whom he was teammates when both played for the Bruins before Bertuzzi signed with Toronto.
“We are similar players, we always battle,” Marchand said at his April 24 postgame press conference. “That all goes out the window when you are playing against each other in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.”
Marchand remarked, “Bert and I get tied up one shift.” However, aside than that, I’m not really involved in anything. All I’m trying to do is play, and play well as a team. It becomes so emotional this time of year.
“I’m a highly sensitive player. You don’t always get the chance to play in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Being a player in this league is a gift.
For Heavy.com, Antonio Losada covers the NHL. With bylines at SB Nation, FanSided, Yahoo Sports, FanGraphs, RotoBaller, and other publications, Antonio is a seasoned sportswriter living in Spain who has covered the NBA, NFL, and soccer for more than ten years. In addition, he is a nominee for several other FSWA honors, such as DFS Writer of the Year and Fantasy Football Writer of the Year.A bit more about Antonio Losada
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