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Playoffs Tonight: Tale of Two Game 7s

Leafs vs Bruins

TORONTO, CANADA - MAY 12: James van Riemsdyk #21 of the Toronto Maple Leafs looks for the puck in front of Tuukka Rask #40 and Adam McQuaid #54 of the Boston Bruins in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2013 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs May 12, 2013 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Abelimages/Getty Images)

It’s the final day of the first round and two series are still undecided.

Before we take a look at them, please keep in mind that you can watch both of these games online in addition to the channels listed below:

Game 7: Boston Bruins host Toronto Maple Leafs (7:00 p.m. ET, CNBC)
Series tied at 3-3

For the Toronto Maple Leafs, simply making the playoffs was an accomplishment that many didn’t think they would achieve this season. They did anyways and when the Leafs fell behind in this series 3-1, Toronto showed that neither the pressure nor a sense of contentment would stop them.

Maple Leafs goaltender James Reimer has proven that he can handle himself in the playoffs despite no prior postseason experience. Meanwhile, forward Phil Kessel has been a hero against his former team, the Boston Bruins, despite his prior struggles versus the club.

That being said, the Boston Bruins aren’t about to roll over either. Many of the Bruins’ key players were around when they blew a 3-0 series lead to the Philadelphia Flyers in 2010 and although this collapse isn’t on that level, there will likely be plenty of desperation on their side to avoid a similar fate.

The player to watch on the Boston Bruins’ end is Tyler Seguin. He’s typically one of their most effective offensive weapons, but he doesn’t have a point in this series.

Game 7: Washington Capitals host New York Rangers (8:00 p.m. ET, NBCSN)
Series tied at 3-3

This is the fourth time in five years that these two teams have met in the playoffs and the third time in that span that they’ve needed the full seven games to settle their differences. In 2009, Washington took Game 7 and last year, the New York Rangers edged past the Capitals.

Just as it was a year ago, Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby and Rangers netminder Henrik Lundqvist have been leaders for their respective teams. However, one of them will obviously surrender at least one more goal and it will be interesting to see if either team’s biggest stars will step up for this deciding contest.

Rick Nash has just one assist in this series while Alex Ovechkin has no points and a minus-three rating in his last four contests. Additionally, Rangers forward Brad Richards has just one goal and no points in the playoffs.

Among those three, Richards is the one that has struggled the most in this series. Richards started Game 6 on the fourth line and logged just 9:34 minutes in that contest.