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It all comes down to this. After it looked like the Boston Bruins were going to breeze right by an imploding Toronto Maple Leafs team, the blue and white stormed back to take Games 5 and 6.

Now it’s 3-3 in the series, and a trip to the second round is on the line between the rivals as they face off in Game 7 Saturday night in Boston (8 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN+).

Which players will be most critical to their team’s success? And who wins the game?

Who is the one key player you’ll be watching for the Bruins?

Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporter: Charlie Coyle. Coyle has two assists and zero goals through six games against the Maple Leafs. It’s a bit jarring, considering he scored a career-high 25 goals and 60 points this regular season (both third most on the team). That allowed the Bruins to get by without more established top-six options down the middle.

This also goes back to Jim Montgomery saying he needs more from his stars. Although he was talking mostly about Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak, the regular-season numbers Coyle put up mean there are expectations for him as well.

Kristen Shilton, NHL reporter: Jeremy Swayman. That’s assuming Jim Montgomery doesn’t go completely off the deep end and start Linus Ullmark in Game 7. Swayman has been the Bruins’ backbone in this series and their most consistent performer — with the .947 save percentage and 1.60 goals-against average to prove it.

But while Swayman has been excellent in these playoffs — and was great in Boston’s last postseason go-around, too — he has never won an elimination game. That will obviously have to change in Game 7 for the Bruins to advance. Montgomery said earlier in the first round he thought Swayman was in the Leafs’ heads a little bit. Well, now it’s time for Swayman to show that script hasn’t flipped to where Toronto is messing with his mojo.

Greg Wyshynski, NHL reporter: Brad Marchand. These are the moments that define a player’s captaincy. I spoke with Marchand before the season, and no one was more disgusted with Boston squandering its series against the Florida Panthers than he was, feeling that the Bruins cost two of their players — Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci — the “fairy-tale ending” that they deserved.

Marchand didn’t have a point in Game 7 against the Panthers last season. He hasn’t hit the score sheet in the past two losses to the Maple Leafs. He didn’t have a shot on goal in Game 5, and he has six penalty minutes combined in those two losses. He’s the heartbeat of the Bruins. If he’s not a difference-maker in Game 7, it’s another “fairy tale” with “THE END” printed on page one for Boston.


Who is the one key player you’ll be watching for the Maple Leafs?

Clark: Max Domi. What Domi accomplished in the playoffs last year by helping the Stars get to the Western Conference finals showed he can be a key player for a playoff contender. He leads the Maple Leafs in points, and he has looked like one of their better players to this stage.

Three of his four points have been assists, which means he’s able to facilitate play for others. But it also goes back to what he did last year. The 13 points Domi had in 19 playoff games with the Stars is what made him such an attractive option in free agency. Now it’s about seeing whether Domi can continue building his postseason résumé with the sort of performance that can get the Leafs into the second round.

Shilton: Mitch Marner. There’s something about Auston Matthews not being in the Leafs’ lineup — it just brings out the best in Marner. He was sensational for Toronto in Games 5 and 6, revealing a confidence and determination at both ends of the ice that was lacking in his previous playoff performances.

Where Marner could have more of an impact is on the scoresheet. He has just one goal and two assists through the six games, and while Toronto has benefitted in its comeback from contributions outside the core, it would be a boost for both Marner and the Leafs to see him capitalize on those golden opportunities (like when his shot went off the post in Game 6). It feels like Marner is still on the cusp of a breakthrough, production-wise. There’s no time like Game 7 to make that a reality.

Wyshynski: Joseph Woll. Stanley Cup playoff history includes a number of rookie goalies popping off and becoming postseason heroes. I’m not saying Joseph Woll is going to be Ken Dryden or Patrick Roy or even Cam Ward, but he has given the Leafs everything they need in goal right now: a .964 save percentage and an 0.86 goals-against average in his two games since replacing Ilya Samsonov.

The huge goaltending advantage Boston had with Jeremy Swayman has been mitigated. We’ve got some proof of concept now with Woll, as he played well in last season’s playoffs, too. The Leaf-iest thing would be for Woll to melt down and give up three goals in the first 10 minutes in Game 7 on the road. But at this point, I’d be surprised if the rookie goalie costs them the game — and not surprised at all if he’s the reason they win it.


The final score will be _____.

Clark: 4-3 Bruins in OT. How much did the Bruins learn from last year’s first-round exit, and can they avoid a similar fate Saturday? Those are the two major questions they’ll be seeking to answer. One way to answer those questions is by establishing the “big period” like they did in Game 1, when they scored three goals in the second period and again in Game 3 when they scored three in the final frame.

Maybe that happens. Or maybe it’s too late given how they’ve looked in Games 5 and 6. But if the Bruins want to win this game, it’s about trying to find that one period in which they can pump in multiple goals, with those goals coming from different parts of their lineup.

Shilton: 2-1 Leafs. Scoring has been at a premium lately in this series, and given how well Swayman and Woll are playing, Game 7 doesn’t project as a barn burner. Boston was in control, but now the Bruins look lost at times.

Toronto has played with Game 7 levels of urgency twice already, and Boston will have to match that on the fly come Saturday — while grappling with how they went from dominant to docile so quickly. The Bruins have had their chances to close the Leafs out, but Toronto has snatched all the momentum; plus, the Leafs have been a terrific road team all season (and in this series).

Wyshynski: 3-1 Leafs. Bruins coach Jim Montgomery went from calling their first-round disaster last season a teachable moment after Game 5 to declaring that Boston is not living in the past after Game 6. Sorry, but the déjà vu is simply too strong here: 3-1 lead, overtime loss at home, loss on the road, back to Boston for Game 7.

The Bruins look slow. They look ineffective. The Leafs are playing the kind of simple, straight-ahead game the Bruins used to be known for playing: dominating zone time and the face-off circle. I’m not sure Boston can flip the script. The Bruins have lost six straight games with a chance to clinch a playoff series, tied for the seventh-longest streak by any team in NHL history.

We all assumed the pressure of a Game 7 in Boston would crush the Maple Leafs. At this point, is there any question that the Bruins are the ones with the flop sweat?

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Spin-o-rama goal helps Celebrini to 50-point mark

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Spin-o-rama goal helps Celebrini to 50-point mark

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Macklin Celebrini reached his latest milestone in most impressive fashion.

Celebrini scored a spin-o-rama goal as part of a four-point night that made him the fastest San Jose player to reach 50 points in a season as the Sharks beat the Calgary Flames 6-3 on Tuesday.

“He’s incredible,” teammate Barclay Goodrow said. “It seems like every night he does something that just makes you say, ‘Wow.’ At this point, it’s not surprising, but it still is surprising. He proves each and every night why he’s one of the best players in the league.”

The numbers Celebrini is putting up are staggering, especially as a 19-year-old in only his second NHL season. He has 18 goals and 33 assists through San Jose’s first 34 games after recording two goals and two assists against the Flames.

He reached the 50-point mark three games faster than any other Sharks player. The only other teenagers to get there faster are two of the greatest in NHL history: Wayne Gretzky and Sidney Crosby.

“He’s a special one, for sure,” San Jose coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “Every time you think he’s going to maybe slow down and maybe hit a speed bump, he doesn’t. He just keeps going. You can see he had legs early tonight. He’s obviously a very special individual.”

Celebrini assisted on two goals in the first period, including a pinpoint pass to John Klingberg that set up the first one, and played a strong game at both ends of the ice all night.

But it was his breathtaking move early in the third that was truly jaw dropping. Celebrini took a pass from Collin Graf, spun without breaking stride and put a shot on net that Dustin Wolf initially saved before the puck bounced off Celebrini’s hip and went in.

“It’s kind of just a reaction,” Celebrini said. “I mean, Graffer made a good play on the wall to kind of intercept it and then just found me in the middle. It was just kind of reactionary, but it was a little lucky. It goes off my hip.”

Celebrini capped the game with an empty-net goal that sealed San Jose’s 17th win. The young Sharks are currently in playoff position after finishing last in the league the past two seasons.

San Jose won only 20 games in Celebrini’s rookie season, and didn’t reach 17 until the 63rd game.

“It’s fun,” he said. “It’s enjoyable to be around the rink when you’re winning and you’re playing well as a group and you just kind of feed off it. It’s more fun when you are winning.”

Celebrini is the biggest reason for the turnaround.

His high level of play has earned him respect around the league and made a case for his inclusion on the Canadian Olympic team.

“Everyone sees it,” Goodrow said. “He’s one of the best. He has the ability to put a team on his back. He competes as hard as he can, each and every shift. He’s a leader. He does a lot for us.”

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Draisaitl hits 1,000 points against ex-Oiler Skinner

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Draisaitl hits 1,000 points against ex-Oiler Skinner

PITTSBURGH — Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl became the fourth-fastest active player in NHL history to reach 1,000 career points in the first period of a 6-4 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night.

Draisaitl had the secondary assist on a power-play goal by Zach Hyman at 11:38 of the first period. He sent a pass to Connor McDavid, who slid it in front to Hyman for a one-timer past Stuart Skinner.

“It was a lot of hard work and a lot of people that helped along the way,” Draisaitl said. “These accomplishments are always directed at the player, but there are so many people that play a big part in that.”

Skinner was Draisaitl’s teammate before Edmonton traded him to Pittsburgh for Tristan Jarry on Friday.

“Whenever anyone gets 1,000 points, you’re going to congratulate them, but I would’ve rather it not be on me,” Skinner said. “It’s a little bittersweet. I was his teammate for a long time and obviously he’s a great player and makes things happen every single night. Congratulations to him.”

After Hyman’s goal, the Oilers’ bench emptied and congratulated Draisaitl on the milestone in the corner.

Draisaitl recorded his 1,001st point 14 seconds later on a goal by McDavid. He finished the game with four assists and now has 416 goals and 587 assists in 824 games. Draisaitl and McDavid assisted on a goal for the 136th time in their career, passing Paul Coffey and Wayne Gretzky for fourth most by a pair of teammates in NHL history.

“He’s a special player,” McDavid said. “I can’t say enough good things. He does it every year on both sides of the rink. It’s not surprising for him to reach this accomplishment and reach it so quickly with so many great years ahead of him.”

Draisaitl, the No. 3 pick in 2014, became the 103rd player in NHL history, first German-born player and fifth in franchise history to reach 1,000 points.

Draisaitl, a four-time 50-goal scorer who helped Edmonton reach the Stanley Cup Final the previous two seasons, is the fifth fastest to reach the milestone among players born outside North America.

“Growing up in Germany, it seems like it was a long ways,” Draisaitl said. “It was surely just a dream. Just super grateful, super thankful and of course a little proud.”

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Ex-Bama coach Saban buys stake in NHL’s Preds

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Ex-Bama coach Saban buys stake in NHL's Preds

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Former Alabama football coach and current ESPN college football analyst Nick Saban has purchased a minority stake in the NHL’s Nashville Predators.

Predators chairman and majority owner Bill Haslam announced Tuesday the purchase made by Dream Sports Ventures LLC, an entity controlled by Saban and business partner Joe Agresti.

“Although I am now retired as a coach, I still possess a competitive nature and a great passion for sports,” Saban said in a statement released by the Predators. “Being involved in a sports team in Nashville has always been a goal and the opportunity to partner in the Predators with a class act like Bill Haslam created the perfect scenario for us. The Preds are a great organization with a fantastic brand, and we are excited to be part of the future success of the franchise.”

Saban and Agresti are partners in the Dream Motor Group that features 10 car dealerships, including two in Nashville. They’re partners in several other business ventures as well.

Saban stepped down as Alabama’s coach after the 2023 season. He posted a 297-71-1 record in 28 years as a coach and won seven national titles — one at LSU and six at Alabama.

Haslam was governor of Tennessee from 2011-19. He became chairman of the Predators on July 1, 2024, and took over as majority owner of the franchise on July 3 of this year.

Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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