Leafs better prepared for the Bruins

March 19, 2012 is a day that Randy Carlyle won’t forget.

“Terrible,” said the Maple Leafs coach describing how he felt following an 8-0 loss in Boston to the Bruins that night. “It was not a good feeling back there.”

That night the Bruins finished up going 6-0 against the Leafs for the season, outscoring Toronto 36-10.

Carlyle had been hired as Leafs coach a few weeks earlier, and his team was still in the playoff chase. That game pretty much ended all playoff hopes, while at the same time leading to the turnaround seen this season.

“That was part of us recognizing as a coaching staff and management that things had to change for our group,” said Carlyle on Monday, as the Leafs get ready to face the Bruins in this year’s playoffs. “We couldn’t afford to be embarrassed to that level and it was an eye opener for us.”

This is a different Leafs team. Among those who played in that game and aren’t on the roster now include Tim Connolly, Mathew Lombardi, Luke Schenn, Mike Komisarek, Colby Armstrong, David Steckel and Joey Crabb.

In are the likes of Nazem Kadri, Leo Komarov, Jay McClement, James van Riemsdyk, Mark Fraser, Cody Franson,  Colton Orr and Frazer McLaren.

This year’s Leafs have an attitude, won’t get pushed around and are not intimidated by the Bruins.

“The biggest change for us is we feel we can go into any building and have a chance for success,” said Carlyle. “I don’t know if you could say that before.”

The Leafs lost 3 of 4 to Boston this year (one loss in a shootout) but the games were much more competitive and Toronto was outscored only by a 9-7 margin.

“Last year is a total wash. We don’t even remember anything that has to do with last year,” said Kadri. “It’s a whole different season. I think Boston understands that too.”

“We’ve played them this year as hard as we have in the last four (years),” said GM Dave Nonis. “We were competitive in all the games.”

Toronto lost February 2 at home 1-0 as Chris Bourque scored the game’s only goal.

On March 7, Tyler Seguin scored a pair for the Bruins – including an empty net goal – 

in a 4-2 Bruins win.

Toronto snapped an eight-game losing streak March 23 with a 3-2 win over Boston on home ice.

Two nights later, the Bruins won on home-ice thanks to a 3-2 win in a shootout.

“We understand how we have to play in order to beat these guys,” said Kadri.  “We have a good fore-check and back-check system and it’s just a matter of doing it.”

“We are playing against an exceptional hockey team that’s very well coached and very deep,” said Nonis. “It’s a good challenge and measuring stick for our group.”

Thanks in part to an 8-0 whitewash to the Bruins last year, the Leafs feel they are better prepared for them in these playoffs.