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BOSTON – Those Beantown ghosts have not been exorcised just yet.
And really, they will not let the Maple Leafs eliminate the Boston Bruins in the playoffs one spring.
The Leafs, with goaltender Garret Sparks Making their third start of 2018-19, were strong early at TD Garden Patrice Bergeron and company, losing 5-1 to their first road loss of the season.
For Sparks, facing the line of Bergeron between David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand was an eye-opener. The trio had nine points, paced by Pastrnak's hat trick.
"I think the immediate, obvious thing is their chemistry and how they look for each other across the area," Sparks said. "They're making 50s, 60s feet and one-timing them.
"It's just a different look. There's a lot of things going on in the NHL and it's an interesting experience going up against them. I know what I want to do next time if I want to get the best of them. "
In the Leafs' first appearance in the arena since the Game 7 debacle this past April, Sparks finished with 29 saves. The Leafs had 41 shots on Bruins goalie Jaroslav Halak, pressed into carrying the load with Tuukka Rask on personal leave, but only John Tavares Scored. The Leafs goal came with 30 seconds remaining in the second period after Boston had a 3-0 lead.
With 19 points and 17 goals, Tavares is on pace for 48 goals and 92 points. Both would be career highs.
Starting a four-game trip, Toronto failed in its attempt to win its first seven road games for the second time in team history.
The only time it happened in 1940-41, and it should come as no surprise that the first one in Toronto by a 5-2 score on Dec. 17. So yes, the Bruins have been breaking the Leafs 'hearts forever.
With the Leafs themselves in the dressing room during the second-period intermission, Elliotte Friedman reported on Hockey Night in Canada that leafs general manager Kyle Dubas they would offer – they would not be willing to trade – for unsigned winger William Nylander.
Through the team's media relations, Dubas declined to comment on Nylander and was not made available to reporters.
With the Dec. 1 deadline to sign Nylander now inside three weeks, it's cautious for Dubas to seriously explore all avenues that involve the restricted free agent. This is keeping in mind the Leafs' first desire is to re-sign Nylander, but it's the responsibility of Dubas to have contingency plans in place if it becomes clear that it will not be possible.
Nylander, but without the injured, the Leafs Auston Matthews and Nylander in the lineup, are 3-3-0.
Before Tavares Halak's shutout bid, the Bruins got a pair of goals in the second period from Pastrnak, one at the same time and one on the power play.
Bergeron badisted on both goals, with 62 points in 65 career games against Toronto.
The Leafs were unable to make the most of the winners Joakim Nordstrom got Boston's fifth goal 26 seconds later.
The Leafs had 20 shots on goal in the first period – and most of the time – and held the Bruins to six shots on goal. Bergeron scored the goal in the opening 20 minutes.
"It's a 60-minute game," defenceman Morgan Rielly said. "It's important to have a good start, I thought we did that, and then we did not really follow up."
Sparks had not played since Oct. 15. There's the likelihood he will be in goal in Anaheim on Friday, the second of back-to-back games. Despite looking shaky, he said he did not feel bad in the crease.
"It's a new challenge, sitting long times between starts," Sparks said. "It's almost like you're really feeling that you're in the net. You can not do it, but you can not do it yourself, so if I get another opportunity I'm going to get a little bit more.
"It's a daily process to get closer and closer to where I want to be. I do not think that anybody hits their peak in November, right? "
Said coach Mike Babbad of Sparks' performance: "Well, I mean, I do not know. I can not really tell you. The bottom line is you win together and lose together. "
BUILDING MEMORIES
The Leafs do not spend a lot of time living on the Game 7 loss against the Bruins – and the way in which it happened – but they do not deny the learning that was gained from such an experience.
Toronto, 20 minutes ago, losing 7-4 to head into the summer with a big heap of bitterness.
"You can not really have a value on what it's like to play in a playoff series like that, but I think when you come back to camp the next year, you're all a bit more mature, learn a lot from those playoff games, "Rielly said. "Just confidence and more comfortable. I think that these experiences really go a long way.
"There is not a single thing you can play when you play it, it's more the experience of traveling, playing road playoff games – losing a road playoff game is brutal. You learn the importance of Games 1 and 2 (when the Leafs were not good). Lots can be learned, but it's not one particular thing. It's the overall experience itself. "
Center Nazem Kadri'S thinking was in a similar vein.
"Playing in Game 7s, especially Game 7s on the road, are very challenging," Kadri said. "I think it's part of the maturation process, especially with the young guys in our dressing room, anybody really, it gives you that sense of urgency and understanding what it takes to move forward in a playoff series.
"(Game 7) still a little bit, but it's not something we're looking for any sort of revenge."
For Rielly, the months that have pbaded have made it easier on the hands of the Bruins in clearer perspective.
"At the time it sucks, it's about the worst feeling you can get when your year ends," Rielly said. "We've got a lot of it, but I think it's time we're doing it now.
"When March and April come, we want to be more ready than we were last year and we earn a spot where we feel like we can (have playoff success).
"I think you have to take it in stride. Teams that are winning now and have won the past few years, have gone through these things. It's tough at the time because you want to win, but these are the things you need to get started in, but you want to get out of the way early and start winning. "
Babbad usually does not consume himself in the rearview mirror, and the Bruins in the post-season is no different.
"Babbad said," Any time you lose in the playoffs, you would, it would be done, and you would like to be different, "Babbad said. "Nothing you can do about it, though. We got a whole year to try to get ourselves in a playoff position to have another opportunity.
"We are very clear about the NHL, we are playing a really good opponent right away."
POINT SHOTS
The Leaves are scheduled to be held in Boston and fly to Los Angeles on Sunday, with a practice on Monday before taking on the Kings on Tuesday night at the Staples Center to start the California portion of the trip. The report is a source of good results for the Leafs, and in its three trips with Babbad as coach, Toronto is 2-6-1. Both wins – one last season and one in 2015-16 – cam in Anaheim. Expect the Leafs to recall a forward, likely Trevor Moore, in the next 24 hours … Bergeron might not have the same kind of attraction as players as electrifying as Connor McDavid gold Matthews, but ask any question about the answer. "He does it right every shift," Leafs forward Zach Hyman said. "He wins faceoffs. His line has the puck all the time. He just does it right. He's relentless. "… Merchant on the Leafs / Bruins rivalry:" That was a good series (in April). There's always feelings left over when you go through a series like that. The history we have with Toronto, not just last year, but it has really been amplifying the games we play against them. "… Kudos to Gary Bettman for the growth of the NHL in some non-traditional hockey markets and expanding the league's revenue stream during his time as commissioner. Is there an outstanding reason, however, for Bettman to go to the Hall of Fame while he remains on the job? Why not wait until his reign is so much better? Is it worthy of Hall status? For some, forgetting that Bettman 's rule has included several work stoppages will take a long time.
FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED
Appreciation for Andersen
Frederik Andersen and Garret Sparks are no exception. Sparks appeared to be fighting at times, though the Bruins' top line can make goalies do that.
No answer
Patrice Bergeron has made a habit of beating up the Leafs, and though Toronto knows what's coming, the Bruins' top forward and his linemates have been unstoppable. Bergeron, David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand combined for nine points.
Better than the score?
To say the Leafs were bad and did not have much chance of winning. Yes, the Leafs tailed off after the first period, but when the game ended, had the shots in 5-on-5 play, the same number the Bruins had. Both clubs had 14 in the third period.
Duo dominated
While the John Tavares, the Morgan Rivera and Morgan Hainsey are struggling against the trio. "They played well," Rielly said. "They're tough to match up against. They're good. "
Give it up
Coach Mike Babbad was simply bothered by the loss, but he did not want the game to be better. The Leafs hounded the Bruins into 16 giveaways (while committing eight) and had 15 takeaways to the Bruins' nine.
tkoshan@postmedia.com
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