GDT: Coyotes@Leafs 7PM SN

[Budsfan]

Game Day: Coyotes at Maple Leafs
Lance HornbyMore from Lance Hornby
Game Day: Coyotes at Maple Leafs

ARIZONA COYOTES (21-22-4) at TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (29-16-2)
Sunday, 7 p.m., Scotiabank Arena
TV: Sportsnet, Radio: 1050 AM
THE BIG MATCHUP
F Clayton Keller vs. C Auston Matthews
Keller is one of the names to circle on the light-shooting Coyotes, with a game-opening goal Friday before a home overtime loss to the Penguins. The quickest Coyote ever to 100 points, he has the winner in four of their 21 victories. Matthews, recognized as Arizona’s greatest hockey export to date, could use a goal or two against his childhood team as a post-Christmas drought continues.
FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME
Don’t let the dogs out
Recent losses to playoff-challenged teams such as Colorado and Florida should put the needed urgency in the Leafs’ effort, facing another lower-echelon team that has nonetheless run up a record of 7-0-1 against them in the past eight games. The Coyotes have been earning points of late, such as taking the Penguins to overtime on Friday.
Second and goal
Neither of these clubs has lost in regulation when leading after two periods, Toronto an impressive 22-0 after locking it down vs. the Lightning. It would be nice for Mike Babcock if his team went back to scoring its way out of trouble.
Fred alert
Toronto goaltender Frederik Anderson was very dialled in Thursday against Tampa Bay, and when that happens, good things tend to follow for the Leafs. Ex-Leaf Calvin Pickard is available for Arizona, but it has been Darcy Kuemper (4-0-1) of late who has been effective as well.
Tic Tock
Scarborough’s Rick Tocchet gets a rare game at home behind the Coyotes bench, but there are no GTA players on this roster other than some OHL grads.
Bomb squad ready
One thing the inconsistent Leafs power play will be wary of in pre-scout meetings is the Coyotes’ league leading penalty killers. But two players who have potted a total of 10 short-handed points, Michael Grabner and Brad Richardson, are both hurt.
MAPLE LEAFS GAME DAY LINES
LW C RW
Andreas Johnsson John Tavares Mitch Marner
Zach Hyman Auston Matthews William Nylander
Patrick Marleau Nazem Kadri Kasperi Kapanen
Par Lindholm Frederick Gauthier Connor Brown
DEFENCE PAIRINGS
Morgan Rielly Ron Hainsey
Jake Gardiner Nikita Zaitsev
Travis Dermott Igor Ozhiganov
GOALIES
Garret Sparks
Frederik Andersen
COYOTES GAME DAY LINES
LW C RW Forwards
Clayton Keller Jordan Weal Christian Fischer
Richard Panik Derek Stepan Vinnie Hinostroza
Alex Galchenyuk Nick Cousins Conor Garland
Lawson Crouse Mario Kempe Josh Archibald
DEFENCE PAIRINGS
Oliver Ekman-Larsson Niklas Hjalmarsson
Jakob Chychrun Ilya Lyubushkin
Jordan Oesterle Alex Goligoski
GOALIES
Darcy Kuemper
Calvin Pickard
SICK BAY
MAPLE LEAFS: RW Tyler Ennis (ankle)
COYOTES: G Antti Raanta (lower body), D Jason Demers (lower body), C Christian Dvorak (lower body), LW Michael Grabner (eye), C Nick Schmaltz (lower body), C Brad Richardson (upper body)
SPECIAL TEAMS
POWER PLAY
Toronto 21.7% (9th)
Arizona 18.5% (18th)
PENALTY KILLING
Toronto 81.1% (12th)
Arizona 87.1% (1st)

Sunday NHL preview: Arizona Coyotes at Toronto Maple Leafs
By Kevin McGranSports Reporter
Sat., Jan. 19, 2019
SCOTIABANK ARENA
FACEOFF: 7 p.m.
Sunday NHL preview: Arizona Coyotes at Toronto Maple Leafs | The Star

Clayton Keller and the Coyotes take on the Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena on Sunday night. (Bernard Weil / Toronto Star file photo)

TV: Sportsnet
RADIO: TSN 1050
KEY PLAYERS
Keller/Marner
Clayton Keller is Arizona’s version of Leaf Mitch Marner: slight, skilled and productive. Keller reached 100 points in his 132nd career game on Friday, the fastest in Coyotes history to do so. His 33 points (10 goals, 23 assists) lead the club. Marner had a four-game scoring streak end Friday, but his 60 points (19 goals, 41 assists) top the Maple Leafs. He hasn’t gone more than two games without a point this season.
NEED TO KNOW
The Coyotes are 18-3-1 when they score at least three goals, and 4-1-1 in their last six overall … They sat just four points out of a playoff spot after Friday’s games, but the bottom of the Western Conference standings is so crowded that they might be in sell mode with the trade deadline a little more than a month away … Coyotes who could be on the block, according to the Arizona Republic: ex-Leaf forward Richard Panik, plus defencemen Niklas Hjalmarsson (who won three Stanley Cups in Chicago and would have to waive his no-trade clause) and Alex Goligoski.
UP NEXT Wednesday vs. Washington Capitals, 7:30 p.m.

Click to read more...

 

[Al14]

Go Leafs Go!

Let's not dog it out there tonight.

Come on Leafs, you must howl from the opening face off.

You must play the puck like a dog with a bone!

 

[shaner8989]

First time in a long time.., don’t even care about the game. So boring and such a bad hockey team lately.

Regardless need the 2 points

 

[Liminality]

First time in a long time.., don’t even care about the game. So boring and such a bad hockey team lately.

Regardless need the 2 points

Wouldn't say boring but the missed scoring chances have been frustrating.

Feeling a Matthews hattrick tonight.

 

[Nineteen67]

Not having a Saturday night game was tough, but its good that there is one tonight.....too bad it’s not an afternoon affair.

 

[Burnie97]

This has got to be a win. I'm not in panic mode either, but they look very lackluster lately.

Leafs need to turn their season around. So much talent... but there effort, and their mental toughness seems weak the last month.

I've never played sports anywhere near their level but if you're losing or you have been playing bad... don't you come out every game and at least work hard?

I'd be embarrassed. I expect a dominate game tonight... but expectations and what will actually happen are 2 entirely different things.

I guess it's best not to get your hopes up with this team... and maybe they'll surprise us.

I hope they go on a tear and win 7 in a row but that would most likely be on the back of Andy... and star players other then J T and Marner doing something. I am getting tired of stats.

Put the puck in the f***ing net and look like you give a shit.

 

[LeafFever]

Let's hope they can actually show some interest in this game since they are facing a bottom-feeder.

 

[Subway Schenn]

Big statement game.

 

[Marshy]

If they don't want this more than the Yotes something is very broken with this team.

I will be watching this one with interest to see which Leaf team shows up. I'm hoping I don't have to back away from caring so much for the rest of this season but it may come to that. My level of caring will be in direct proportion to the players themselves starting tonight.

 

[ACC1224]

First time in a long time.., don’t even care about the game. So boring and such a bad hockey team lately.

Regardless need the 2 points

 

[ACC1224]

Not having a Saturday night game was tough, but its good that there is one tonight.....too bad it’s not an afternoon affair.

Should have been a 1:00 start before Championship Sunday starts.
Going to be a late night tonight

 

[Nineteen67]

Should have been a 1:00 start before Championship Sunday starts.
Going to be a late night tonight

I’m in eastern time again so I would like 3 pm start. I don’t watch (Edit soccer) football so I don’t worry about that.

ETA Soccer was tv this AM when I posted this.

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

Let's hope they can actually show some interest in this game since they are facing a bottom-feeder.

Arizona is 5-3-1 in their last 10. They're playing not bad hockey right now. I wouldn't be overconfident in a win.

 

[Warden of the North]

I want to go into the break on a high note.

Crush em

EDIT - Oops, apparently we play the Caps this week before the break

 

[Budsfan]

 

[Budsfan]

 

[ULF_55]

Last 10 games, 4 wins 6 losses.

They have some games in hand they shouldn't sleep through.

Engine needs a tune-up, only firing on about half the cylinders.

I think it has to start in the D-Zone.

 

[Marshy]

Would it be too much to ask for simply league average PP opportunities awarded ... just for a game or 2 not asking for miracles here.


https://www.foxsports.com/nhl/team-...CIAL+TEAMS&group=1&time=0&pos=0&team=1&page=1

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Willy breaking out tonightbwould be a safe call so I'm calling it. 2g and assist for a 3 point night. )

 

[Mess]

Should have been a 1:00 start before Championship Sunday starts.
Going to be a late night tonight

I'm with you on that.

Its even a triple whammy for me as Ron McLean and Tara Sloan are right here in town for Home Town hockey today.. My Kelowna Rockets are participating in events and they're even doing it my former high school that I graduated from. This after beating Leafs goalie Ian Scott and his PA Raiders last night at home in a shootout thriller.

City is a buzz with local activities drawing one out of the house and overlapping both the hockey and football games.

My PVR is going to working overtime today.

 

[Mess]

Heading into the All-Star break losing back to back games against Florida and Arizona would not be good for our Leafs.

This is a must win today against an opponent that shouldn't be too difficult based on the talent level discrepancy and competitive level.

 

[SHANNYPLAN]

Hyman - Tavares - Marner
Johnsson - Matthews - Brown
Marleau - Kadri - Kapanen
Lindholm - Gauthier - Nylander

God Damnit Babcock

Getting sick of this​

 

[Cor]

Hyman - Tavares - Marner
Johnsson - Matthews - Brown
Marleau - Kadri - Kapanen
Lindholm - Gauthier - Nylander

God Damnit Babcock

Getting sick of this​

Yeah, because it's our forward lines that don't get changed enough

 

[Budsfan]

 

[ULF_55]

Heading into the All-Star break losing back to back games against Florida and Arizona would not be good for our Leafs.

This is a must win today against an opponent that shouldn't be too difficult based on the talent level discrepancy and competitive level.

If you have said compete level it might be a problem.