Matthews finally catches break as Leafs push Bruins to the brink

Both national broadcasters seemed convinced, and surely, so was Auston Matthews.

For the Toronto Maple Leafs’ star centre, the sight of two officials placing headsets over their ears while huddling around a tablet became the stuff of nightmares. It was no more than a month ago now, after another review added to his personal string of disallowed goals, that Matthews vented with the local media, telling them he now just assumes that every goal that required further examination would be ruled against him.

So when Boston Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy issued a challenge after Matthews opened the scoring 51 minutes into by far the tightest matchup of the five now played between the Maple Leafs and Bruins in Round 1, contesting that Zach Hyman interfered with Tuukka Rask’s ability to make a save, all Matthews could do was bury his head and “pray” for a better verdict.

It turns out all the frustration that built up in Matthews’ mind over the course of the season was erased with one decision.

His most significant goal to reach the desk of the NHL’s situation room was in fact upheld.

With Hyman clearly making contact (and the Bruins all convinced Rask was interfered with), its legitimacy will continue to be debated between now and puck drop on Game 6. But Matthews’ goal, while not the winner, set the Maple Leafs in motion for a critical 2-1 victory over Boston in Game 5. The Leafs now have the opportunity to finally eliminate their rivals on home ice Sunday afternoon and advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in 15 years.

“We’re excited,” Matthews said, according to Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun. “We have to be ready to go and we know the atmosphere is going to be amazing there. We’re looking forward to it."

Like the review, this game hung in the balance for an uncomfortable interval for both fanbases, but it’s difficult to build a case against the Leafs not deserving their second win at TD Garden in the series.

Undeniably, the Maple Leafs were at their best defensively in Game 5, clamping down on the Bruins offense and handling the raucous atmosphere in Boston better than any point in this series — or last year, for that matter.

The Bruins were limited to 15 shots, 26 attempts and just three high-danger looks through the first two periods combined, and only took control over the even-strength shot share after Matthews and Kasperi Kapanen built the Maple Leafs a 2-0 lead with goals scored a little over two minutes apart following the midway mark of the third.

Facing 29 shots, Frederik Andersen was hardly overworked in the contest, but his Game 5 performance mirrored his team’s: it was probably his best in the series as well.

Andersen seemed to be in complete control from the start, limiting second-chance opportunities with a calmness from the Leafs’ crease. He made all the saves required of him before David Krejci made things interesting with 45 seconds left by depositing a perfect seam pass into the empty net as the Bruins pressed with the extra attacker.

Five of Andersen’s 28 saves came on the much-improved Maple Leafs penalty kill — which had been torched to this point in the series. The Bruins had converted in all four games and five times in total with the man advantage, but were foiled on their three opportunities — each of which came before the Leafs had a chance to work on a power play themselves.

While Andersen’s play, and those kills, bought enough time for the Leafs to deliver on their two high-danger looks in the third period, it’s Matthews beginning to take control of the series after an ineffective start.

With goals in three consecutive games, Matthews’ individual mark is looming largest over the series to this point, and is one of the biggest reasons the Leafs, for a third time in the series, find themselves ahead.

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