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Tyler Bertuzzi praised ‘great’ Boston fans, hopes Maple Leafs can ‘keep them a little quiet’
"We’re excited to shut them down."
Tyler Bertuzzi’s take on facing the Bruins: When the Bruins acquired left winger Tyler Bertuzzi in March, 2023, it was the with the anticipation of a deep playoff run. And while the 29-year-old Canadian enjoyed his time in Boston, it ended in disappointment after the Bruins crashed out in a first-round defeat to the Panthers.
In the offseason, Bertuzzi—despite having interest in remaining with the Bruins—signed a one-year deal with the rival Maple Leafs (Boston’s lack of cap space being the driving factor).
Now a year after the playoff disappointment, Bertuzzi and the Bruins are back in the postseason, only with one major difference. This time, Bertuzzi will be facing Boston.
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Asked about the prospect of facing the Bruins in the first-round series, the Toronto winger knows there won’t be too many surprises.
“We know what they’re about,” he said earlier this week. “We played them multiple times this year. We’re excited to get going.”
“They play good as a team. Good goaltending. They have some top players who can score goals,” Bertuzzi said, giving an overview. “We’re excited to shut them down.”
Even with the retirements of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, Bertuzzi thinks the Bruins remain a threat.
“They still have some leaders that were on the team last year that led the way, and a lot of good players and a lot of depth.”
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The series will begin on the road for the Maple Leafs. The first two games will be played at TD Garden before heading to Toronto.
Bertuzzi, having experienced the support of local fans, is hoping the Maple Leafs get out to a strong start.
“They have great fans. very passionate about their sports,” he said. “We have to keep them a little quiet.”
Trivia: Tyler Bertuzzi was drafted in 2013. That year, the Bruins didn’t have a first-round pick due to an April trade shortly before the deadline. What player did Boston acquire with that pick?
(Answer at the bottom).
Hint: He appeared in just 11 regular season games for the Bruins before leaving as a free agent at the end of the season. In all, he played in 1,733 NHL regular season games in his legendary career. His last NHL appearance came in 2018 at the age of 45.
Scores and schedules:
The Red Sox lost to the Guardians 5-4 on Thursday. Boston begins a three-game series against the Pirates in Pittsburgh tonight at 6:40 p.m.
PWHL Boston got a win on Thursday, returning from a multi-week break by defeating Toronto 2-1 at the Tsongas Center.
Tomorrow, the Bruins begin the playoffs against the Maple Leafs at TD Garden at 8 p.m.
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On Saturday afternoon, the Free Jacks host the Seattle Seawolves in the Major League Rugby regular season. The game will be played at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Quincy at 2 p.m.
And on Saturday evening, the Revolution will be on the road to play Toronto FC at 7:30 p.m.
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- Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers has a bone bruise in his sore left knee
- 3 Bruins who should welcome a first-round showdown with the Maple Leafs
- Steve Belichick lists Dover mansion for $4.19m. See inside.
- 2024 NFL Draft: Here are all of the draft picks the Patriots hold
- Tanner Houck achieved an unusual ‘Maddux’ in impressive performance against Guardians
A postgame scuffle: Tempers briefly boiled over at the end of PWHL Boston’s win against Toronto on Thursday.
On this day: In 1965, the Celtics defeated the Lakers 129-123 in Game 2 of the NBA Finals. Bill Russell led Boston with a triple-double (23 points, 25 rebounds, 10 assists), as the Celtics went on to win in five games. It was the seventh straight Celtics championship, and their eighth in nine years.
“What, only 25 rebounds for Russell?” asked a frustrated Jerry West after the game, per Boston Globe reporter Clif Keane. “He must have had 50 rebounds in the game. There’s something wrong with these figures. The man had the ball all night.”
Daily highlight: While the Hudson Valley Renegades are a Yankees minor league affiliate, it can’t be denied that this was absolutely a highlight-level play.
Trivia answer: Jaromír Jágr
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