Budsfan
Registered User
- Sep 17, 2006
- 19,218
- 1,365
Sunday NHL preview: Toronto Maple Leafs at Chicago Blackhawks
By Kevin McGranSports Reporter
Sat., Oct. 6, 2018
UNITED CENTER
FACEOFF: 7 p.m.
/https://www.thestar.com/content/dam/thestar/sports/leafs/2018/10/06/sunday-nhl-preview-toronto-maple-leafs-at-chicago-blackhawks/kane_leafs.jpg)
Chicago’s Patrick Kane, battling Leaf Nazem Kadri for a faceoff, has 23 points in 15 career games against Toronto. The teams square off Sunday night in the Windy City. (Graig Abel / GETTY IMAGES file photo)
TV: Sportsnet
RADIO: TSN Radio 1050
KEY PLAYERS
Sparks/Kane
Leafs backup goalie Garret Sparks grew up in the Chicago area and has never skated on United Center ice. He trains there in the summer with friend Patrick Kane, the Blackhawks’ high-scoring forward. It’s scheduled to be Sparks’ first start in relief of Frederik Andersen. Kane has 10 goals and 13 assists in 15 career games against the Maple Leafs.
NEED TO KNOW
Both teams are playing on back-to-back nights. The Blackhawks beat Ottawa 4-3 in overtime in Thursday’s opener and faced St. Louis on Saturday … It’s been three years since the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup. They found themselves in unfamiliar territory after missing the playoffs last season ... Veteran goalie Cam Ward may be the most important addition of the off-season, with No. 1 Corey Crawford out until Oct. 18 at the earliest after a long recovery from a concussion … Veteran Chris Kunitz, a free-agent pickup, plays on the top line with Jonathan Toews and Alex DeBrincat.
UP NEXT
Tuesday at Dallas, 8:30 p.m.
GAME DAY: Maple Leafs at Blackhawks
Terry KoshanMore from Terry Koshan
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS at CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
7 p.m. Sunday, United Center, SNO, TSN 1050
BIG MATCHUP
John Tavares vs. Nick Schmaltz
Provided Chicago coach Joel Quenneville uses Jonathan Toews against Auston Matthews, it’s probable that Tavares would draw Schmaltz, the Blackhawks’ second-line centre. A first-round pick by Chicago in 2014, Schmaltz blossomed last season with 21 goals and 52 points, but could be hard-pressed to contain Tavares. And keep an eye on respective right wingers on the lines — the Leafs’ Mitch Marner and the Hawks’ Patrick Kane.
FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME
1. Sparks’ first start
There’s no questioning the confidence of Garret Sparks, and there shouldn’t be, considering the 2017-18 hardware the 25-year-old Leafs goalie has at home (AHL goalie of the year and a Calder Cup ring). A strong outing from Sparks is imperative, considering the Leafs don’t have another back-to-back set until Nov. 9-10. Sparks has no problem thinking he is an NHL goalie, and it’s his first chance to prove it.
2. Kane is able
Hawks star Patrick Kane often has toyed with the Leafs, recording 23 points (10 goals and 13 assists) in 15 games. Sparks faced Kane during some on-ice sessions this past summer, and has a grip on what makes Kane frustratingly effective. “He is just deceptive,” Sparks said. “Just has a great hockey IQ and he uses it to the fullest of his ability. I’m not going to try to out-think (Kane and Jonathan Toews).”
3. Ride the cycle
The Leafs have been working to establish a definitive cycle game in the offensive zone, and the Blackhawks’ group of defencemen isn’t nearly as formidable as it was during the Stanley Cup years (consider that Duncan Keith is 35 and Brent Seabrook 33). It’s on Leafs such as Zach Hyman and Connor Brown to help set the table from the hashmarks in.
4. High on Lindholm
The game will mark the first on the road for Leafs centre Par Lindholm, who made a good first impression in the season opener against Montreal. There’s potential in the Leafs’ fourth line to score, but coach Mike Babcock likes something else in Lindholm. “He’s ultra-smart,” Babcock said. “He’s got good edges, really good defensively, you trust the guy when he’s on the ice.” The Hawks should be a solid test for the 27-year-old, no matter who he draws.
5. Travel tips
Neither club will have the benefit of rest, as the Leafs, starting a four-game trip, will have arrived from Toronto and the Blackhawks from St. Louis, where they met the Blues on Saturday night. The Leafs who remain from 2017-18 could be buoyed by the club’s 7-5-2 record in the second game of back to backs, but regardless, the group that has legs from the opening shift should prevail.
MAPLE LEAFS LINES
LW-C-RW
Patrick Marleau-Auston Matthews-Tyler Ennis
Zach Hyman-John Tavares-Mitch Marner
Josh Leivo-Nazem Kadri-Connor Brown
Andreas Johnsson-Par Lindholm-Kasperi Kapanen
Defence pairs
Morgan Rielly-Ron Hainsey
Jake Gardiner-Nikita Zaitsev
Travis Dermott-Igor Ozhiganov
Goaltenders
Garret Sparks
Frederik Andersen
BLACKHAWKS LINES
LW-C-RW
Alex DeBrincat-Jonathan Toews-Dominik Kahun
Brandon Saad-Nick Schmaltz-Patrick Kane
Chris Kunitz-Artem Anisimov-David Kampf
Marcus Kruger-Luke Johnson-Andreas Martinsen
Defence pairs
Duncan Keith-Henri Jokiharju
Brent Seabrook-Brandon Manning
Erik Gustafsson-Jan Rutta
Goaltenders
Cam Ward
Collin Delia
INJURIES
Blackhawks — G Corey Crawford (concussion), G Anton Forsberg (undisclosed), D Connor Murphy (back), D Gustav Forsling (wrist).
Maple Leafs — None.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Power play
Blackhawks: 0% (29th)
Maple Leafs: 33.3% (7th)
Penalty kill
Blackhawks: 66.7% (24th)
Maple Leafs: 75% (20th)
