Domi, Leafs don't plan to back down after sending Bruins a message

The Maple Leafs skated at TD Garden on Monday. The Bruins skated at Warrior Ice Arena. 

---

Sheldon Keefe didn't feel the need to talk to Max Domi after the Leafs winger took a costly penalty in Game 1. 

"It's playoff hockey, I don't even have to talk to Max about these things," the Leafs coach said. "He's been through it a lot. It's all part of the intensity. I don't need Max to change anything about who he is and how he plays. He's an important guy for us."

Domi, who has played in 44 career playoff games, was whistled for slashing the wrist of Bruins captain Brad Marchand. Boston scored on the ensuing power play to take a 4-0 lead in the second period on Saturday.  

"I love the intensity he brought the other night," Keefe continued. "He got caught on the penalty. I know their guy's probably going to do the same slash probably 10 times in the rest of this series and we'll see if he gets called on it. But I love Max's intensity."

Domi, who was not made available to the media on Saturday night, didn't want to address the penalty following Monday's skate. 

"Game 1 was a long time ago," the 29-year-old said. "We're focused on the Game 2 tonight, and that's all we're focused on."

Domi got into it with Marchand even before the puck dropped on the opening faceoff of the series. 

"Hey, we sent a message for sure," Domi noted of Game 1. "Obviously came up a little bit short, but we did a lot of good things last game, so just got to keep doing the good stuff."  

The Leafs ended up being shorthanded five times on Saturday, which led to two Boston power-play goals. 

"We know the margins are thin and we got to do a good job staying out of the box," said captain John Tavares. "But I like the intensity we played with. I think the determination and the competitiveness was good. That's an important area of the game, especially this time of year, and [will] only continue to amplify that."

---

The margins are even thinner for the Leafs without winger William Nylander, who skated again on Monday morning, but appears likely to miss Game 2. 

"It's good to see him with the group," Keefe said. "He looks good out there. And, yeah, for sure the group is happy to have him. We'll see how he feels the rest of the day here and make a decision."

Nylander did not skate on a regular line and did not take part in the power play reps. 

"It's only a matter of time until he's back in the lineup," said winger Nick Robertson, who took Nylander's spot on the third line. "We know we've got to do what we can without him and hope we get a win tonight."

Nylander stayed out late with the other projected scratches on Monday morning. He smiled a lot during the skate, but also didn't look quite comfortable. He hunched over at times and conferred with assistant athletic therapist Neill Davidson at the bench.  

Monday marked Nylander's first full team skate since Wednesday's regular-season finale in Tampa. 

"It's obviously a really good sign," said Tavares. "We know what he means to our hockey club, so obviously great that he was out there." 

---

After going 0-for-3 on the power play in Game 1, the Leafs appear set to make a change. Tyler Bertuzzi joined Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, Tavares and Morgan Rielly on the top unit at Monday's skate. 

"A crafty player, competes extremely hard," noted Tavares. "He's so good in tight areas and tight spaces. He reads coverage and pressure really, really well. He’s got great hands in those areas and around the net."

Bertuzzi did get a look on the top unit during the regular season and responded with three power-play goals. 

"Bert's good around the net," said Keefe. "He gives you a second guy similar to John in the sense that he can hound the puck and be good around the net and all that sort of stuff."

Calle Jarnkrok had taken Nylander's spot on the top unit in Game 1. 

---

It remains unclear who the Bruins will start in goal. 

"Do any of you play Wordle?" coach Jim Montgomery asked reporters following Boston's skate. "The starting goalie tonight has two vowels in his first and last game ... I don't tell my wife; I'm not telling you."  

That elicited laughs, but the Bruins are completely serious about keeping the secret. 

"I don't know why we would divulge information," Montgomery said. "Like, if you're preparing a game there's parts of a goaltender that are part of your pre-scout, so it's an advantage for us, right?"

Jeremy Swayman was excellent in Game 1, but Boston has rotated goalies in the last 27 games dating back to late February. Plus, reigning Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark posted the better numbers down the stretch. 

Ilya Samsonov did his usual starting routine at Monday's skate and is expected to be in net again for the Leafs. 

---

The Leafs appear set to roll out the same lineup as Game 1, which means defenceman T.J. Brodie will sit out as a healthy scratch again. 

"You look at how the season's gone," Keefe said in explaining what he likes about his group of six on the back end. "You look at how the group has come together. You look at how the pairs fit, you know, and then you look at the opponent and the type of matchups and the intensity that you expect early on in the series. And, you know, those are the guys that we go with."

Keefe isn't changing the personnel and isn't looking for any big changes when it comes to the approach. 

"Play in lots of ways like we did the other night," the coach said. "Just make a few less mistakes and finish a few of our chances. We don't have to change much more than that, quite honestly. We liked a lot of things about our game, so we're just going to get back to it."

The Leafs have now gone eight straight playoff games scoring two or fewer goals. 

"There's no need to force the issue," insisted Tavares, who led the way with six shots in Game 1. "It's continuing to stay with your game, being really good without the puck, creating space that way with pressure and earning pucks back and not trying to do too much or complicate things. Obviously getting the puck towards the net, earning those opportunities."

---

Lines at Leafs skate on Monday: 

Bertuzzi - Matthews - Domi
Knies - Tavares - Marner 
Robertson - Holmberg - Jarnkrok 
Dewar - Kampf - Reaves
Nylander, Gregor 

Rielly - Lyubushkin 
Benoit - McCabe
Edmundson - Liljegren
Giordano - Brodie 
Webber - Timmins

Samsonov starts 
Woll
Jones 

Power-play units at Leafs skate on Monday: 

PP1

Rielly, Matthews, Tavares, Marner, Bertuzzi 

PP2

McCabe, Domi, Liljegren, Jarnkrok, Knies 

Lines at Bruins skate on Monday: 

Heinen - Zacha - Pastrnak
Marchand - Coyle - DeBrusk
Lauko - Geekie - Frederic
Beecher - Boqvist - Maroon
van Riemsdyk

Lindholm - McAvoy
Grzelcyk - Carlo
Shattenkirk - Peeke
Forbort - Wotherspoon

Ullmark & Swayman

Power-play units at Bruins skate on Monday: 

PP1

Shattenkirk, Pastrnak, Heinen, Zacha, Maroon

PP2

McAvoy, Marchand, Geekie, Coyle, DeBrusk