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Toronto Maple Leafs: 3 Keys to Taking the Series in Game 6

By Matthew Rodrigopulle

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 19: From left, Jake Muzzin #8, Kasperi Kapanen #24, Auston Matthews #34, Nikita Zaitsev #22 and Zach Hyman #11 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skate down ice after Auston Matthews scored a goal during the third period of Game Five of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on April 19, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Maple Leafs defeat the Bruins 2-1. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 19: From left, Jake Muzzin #8, Kasperi Kapanen #24, Auston Matthews #34, Nikita Zaitsev #22 and Zach Hyman #11 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skate down ice after Auston Matthews scored a goal during the third period of Game Five of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on April 19, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Maple Leafs defeat the Bruins 2-1. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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Toronto Maple Leafs
WINNIPEG, MB – OCTOBER 24: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs keeps an eye on the play during third period action against the Winnipeg Jets at the Bell MTS Place on October 24, 2018 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Leafs defeated the Jets 4-2. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Key 1: John Tavares and Auston Matthews Need to be Good at the Same Time

After game two, we were all calling on Auston Matthews to start showing up. He didn’t have the greatest playoffs last year, scoring just a goal and an assist in that seven game series.

Everyone worried that he would have a repeat of that performance and boy did he show us. Since game three, he’s scored four goals in three games, leading the team in scoring.

John Tavares on the other hand, has kind of disappeared offensively after game one. Don’t get me wrong, he has been excellent on draws and shutting down Boston’s top line, but the Leafs need him to show up offensively.

He’s gotten a couple of assists but they need some goal scoring. It feels like for Toronto, they just can’t have both of their top guys going at the same time.

But that’s exactly what they need.

Tavares needs to have a big game. He’s been due. He’s a proven playoff performer during his time with the New York Islanders, scoring 11 points in 11 games in his last playoff appearance in 2015-16. Not to mention, he scored 47 goals during the season. The Toronto Maple Leafs can really use some of that right now in addition to Matthews’ play.

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