Community Picks: Boston 0% vs Tampa Bay 0%

TORONTO (AP) Mike Babcock was at his daughter’s graduation when he received a text message from a friend about reports of a strained relationship with star center Auston Matthews. “I’ll find out in the morning,” the Toronto coach replied. As the Maple Leafs cleaned out their lockers Friday in the wake of a seven-game loss to the Boston Bruins in the first round of the playoffs, Babcock and Matthews addressed speculation the coach had “lost” his player during the series. Continue to Article

April 28, 2018 9:01:am EST

Tampa Bay hasn't played in a week, while Boston is coming off a hard-fought, seven-game playoff series. Neither the Lightning nor the less-rested Bruins expect that to mean anything when their second-round playoff series begins Saturday. A single point separated the Atlantic Division rivals in the standings after the race for the top seed in Eastern Conference came down to the final night of the regular season, and there's every reason to believe this best-of-seven matchup will be just as tight. Continue to Article

April 27, 2018 6:55:pm EST

The NHL has backed up Boston Bruins star Brad Marchand after he denied reports the league asked the team to tell him to stop licking other players. Marchand appeared to put his tongue to the neck of Toronto Maple Leafs forward Leo Komarov during game one of their Stanley Cup playoffs series, which Boston won 4-3. Claims the NHL contacted the Bruins about the antics were branded "false" by the left wing, with the league supporting his denial. Continue to Article

April 27, 2018 3:45:pm EST

Boston Bruins wing Brad Marchand says nobody from the NHL has told him to stop licking opponents, despite reports to the contrary. "No one said anything to me," Marchand told NBCSportsBoston.com via text on Friday morning. The NHL confirmed Marchand's statement on Friday to USA Today. Continue to Article

April 27, 2018 3:01:pm EST

The level of disappointment in the room, the air of uncertainty as it pertains to the future, the tone of Auston Matthews’ exit interview. One of several hot-button topics touched at the annual end-of-season review Friday at Air Canada Centre — with the sting of their first-round defeat at the hands of the Boston Bruins still obviously present — was the suggestion that Mike Babcock “lost” Matthews at some point in the series, and that there was the makings of a rift between head coach and superstar. Babcock unplugged immediately after the loss to attend his daughter’s graduation, but did eventually receive word of Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos’ suggestion. Continue to Article

April 27, 2018 3:00:pm EST