The Boston Bruins entered their first matchup of the season with the Toronto Maple Leafs at 8-0-1. Yet, they faced one of the stiffest challenges of their centennial campaign, specifically on the back end.
Charlie McAvoy began serving his four-game suspension. Matt Grzelcyk started his stint on long-term injured reserve. Derek Forbort remains day-to-day.
Against a Leafs squad possessing lethal talent like Auston Matthews, John Tavares, Mitch Marner and William Nylander, the shorthanded Bruins never wavered
Still, the Bruins struggled defending their net and were a step slow transitioning the puck up ice. Even with a 2-0 lead on the heels of Pavel Zacha’s late opening-period tally and Jake DeBrusk’s first goal of the season early in the middle frame, the turnovers and sloppy possessions came back to haunt the Bruins.