Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand has faced the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Stanley Cup Playoffs four times across his career.
However, he believes this iteration of the Leafs is different from years past.
Following Toronto’s 3-2 win on Monday, which tied their first-round series up 1-1, Marchand was asked Tuesday if he’s surprised with what the team has been throwing at Boston.
“Not really,” answered Marchand. “I mean, they’re playing a really good playoff-type game right now. You know, you knew they would. They’re built different than in the past years.”
Monday night was a much-needed bounce back for the Leafs, who lost 5-1 on Saturday in the series opener.
“They’re playing a lot more physical, very committed to forechecking, playing very tight defensively,” added Marchand.
“So, you’ve got to give them credit. They’re one of the top teams for a reason. When you add their offensive ability on top of that, they’re a tough team to play right now, and we’re seeing it. Even the first game, it was a different game than the score. We have to continue to be better. It’s a very tight playoff series, and we knew it was going to be a battle. They showed up; they’re playing for keeps.”
With the first two games played in Boston, the series now moves to Toronto for Game 3. Catch the action Wednesday on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ starting at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
