from Tom Mayenknecht of the Vancouver Province,

Boston versus Toronto isn’t just a Game 7. It’s an historic Original Six matchup. It’s a heritage brand pairing. And it’s an intense rivalry game; a showcase of fan intrigue and storytelling, which is ultimately what drives interest and audiences.

Will the Bruins become the first team in NHL history to squander a 3-1 series lead in back-to-back opening round series or will the Leafs be sent to the off-season by yet another heartbreaking collapse when it matters most?...

South of the border will be equally hot. As per TV Sports News & Updates, with U.S. coverage anchored by ABC on Saturday night, it marks the first Game 7 in an opening-round series to be presented on American broadcast TV since 1972 when CBS showed Game 7 of the first-round series between the old Minnesota North Stars and the St. Louis Blues.

It says here that the conditions are perfect for Boston-Toronto to set a new Canadian record for an opening-round game (at least on English-language TV).

South of the border, it could rival the average American audience of 3.5 million that watched the Bruins beat the Washington Capitals in Game 6 in overtime on NBC in 2012, the year after a Game 7 Cup Final between Boston and the Vancouver Canucks in 2011 drew more than eight million in Canada alone.

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