Post-Game Talk: Leafs @ Blues 7 PM CBC - Polak verses Gunnarsson

[Budsfan]

Toronto Maple Leafs at St. Louis Blues: Saturday NHL preview

Vladimir Tarasenko leads Blues attack, which has been struggling.

By: Kevin McGran Sports Reporter, Published on Fri Dec 04 2015

SCOTTRADE CENTER

PUCK DROP: 7 p.m.

TV: CBC

RADIO: TSN Radio 1050

KEY MATCHUP

Tarasenko vs. Gardiner

Vladimir Tarasenko led all Blues with 14 goals heading into Friday’s action and coach Ken Hitchcock will try to get him out against Jake Gardiner, perhaps Toronto’s weakest link on the blue line. Gardiner hasn’t produced much offensively, either, with two assists in his last 11 games.

NEED TO KNOW

The Leafs are catching the Blues in their second of back-to-back games. They were in Brooklyn on Friday night. . . . The Blues moved centre Jori Lehtera to left wing alongside centre Paul Stastny and Tarasenko to try to jump-start their offence. They have been outscored 23-17 in first periods, but have outscored opponents 23-12 in the third. . . . St. Louis has 16 Canadians on the roster.

NEXT UP

Tuesday vs. Devils, 7:30 p.m.

Click to read more...

 

[Rayzorexe]

Who would it thought that it only took 2 months to see Sparks/Bibeau up with the Leafs at the same time.

 

[Cor]

This could get ugly

 

[Budsfan]

 

[Trapper]

Enjoy the Saturday night game everyone. We don't have another for 2 weeks. Leafs schedule is an absolute joke. After this we play 1 game in 10 days and then 5 in 8.
The NHL schedule maker should have some random drug testing.

 

[Hurt]

Really bad feeling about this game.

 

[Budsfan]

 

[CanadasTeam]

Enjoy the Saturday night game everyone. We don't have another for 2 weeks. Leafs schedule is an absolute joke. After this we play 1 game in 10 days and then 5 in 8.
The NHL schedule maker should have some random drug testing.

What a joke that's absolute garbage.

 

[Budsfan]

Two conflicting tweets on the line-up.

Henny says no change.

McGran says

JVR-Bozak-Parenteau
Holland-Kadri-Komarov
Grabner-Spaling-Winnik
Matthias-Froese-Boyes

 

[saltming]

two conflicting tweets on the line-up.

Henny says no change.

Mcgran says

jvr-bozak-parenteau
holland-kadri-komarov
grabner-spaling-winnik
matthias-froese-boyes

 

[Daisy Jane]

Enjoy the Saturday night game everyone. We don't have another for 2 weeks. Leafs schedule is an absolute joke. After this we play 1 game in 10 days and then 5 in 8.
The NHL schedule maker should have some random drug testing.

i was going to go, that's not so....
but you're right! We play the Devils and then nothing until Dec. 15th.

what the heck is going on at the ACC that requires all this dead time?

i remember before that i was always lamenting that we don't have games in hands when we were "making the playoffs" and everyone is chasing us - but if this is what it means, never mind.

 

[PuckMagi]

Two conflicting tweets on the line-up.

Henny says no change.

McGran says

JVR-Bozak-Parenteau
Holland-Kadri-Komarov
Grabner-Spaling-Winnik
Matthias-Froese-Boyes

I like the line up changes. Though I think Holland will be RW and Komorov will be LW. I also think they should switch Matthias and Grabner... but oh well.

 

[Budsfan]

Thanks for clearing that up, it looks like a pretty good line up and moving Holland to the second line, I like.

It appears Babcock is trying to balance out the Lines.

 

[hockeyes]

Good to see, I think Holland gels a lot better with Kadri than JVR.

 

[Suntouchable13]

No matter how they arrange it, it still looks awful. AS they say, you can't make chicken salad out of chicken ****.

 

[BertCorbeau]

... Wait Bibeau was called up and Sparks is starting? Did Reimer re-aggrivate his injury??

Apparently I missed something

 

[zeke]

nice. Holland finally getting a promotion and Mathias a demotion.

I'm interested to see which line - spaling's or froese's - gets more ice time. I have a hunch Froese's line might be the 3rd line.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Holland on Kadri's wing .. Yessss.. I've been wanting to see that for awhile now. Glad to see Babs is changing the lines up to try and jumpstart the offense

 

[Pyrophorus]

i was going to go, that's not so....
but you're right! We play the Devils and then nothing until Dec. 15th.

what the heck is going on at the ACC that requires all this dead time?

i remember before that i was always lamenting that we don't have games in hands when we were "making the playoffs" and everyone is chasing us - but if this is what it means, never mind.

The 15th is the only game we play against someone in our division.
Basically one divisional game until Jan 16th.

Going back the divisional schedule was/will be: Bruins-Bruins-Lightning-Bruins

Christmas break is this month too.

Break from Jan28-Feb1

 

[Jerkini]

Bernier should have been recalled instead of Bibeau. I get what the Leafs were doing, but you're essentially tossing a rookie to the wolves. St. Louis is a very strong team.

 

[Budsfan]

Looks like no changes on the D, so Corrado will sit again.

Rielly and Gardiner switched would be the only change but same players.

 

[Mess]

Thanks for clearing that up, it looks like a pretty good line up and moving Holland to the second line, I like.

It appears Babcock is trying to balance out the Lines.

By balance out the lines, I think you mean from having Zero lines scoring to trying to attempt to get at least one scoring.

 

[Mess]

Bernier should have been recalled instead of Bibeau. I get what the Leafs were doing, but you're essentially tossing a rookie to the wolves. St. Louis is a very strong team.

There is a chance we might get to see both young goalies in this game.

Sparks gets the first 1/2 the game then Bibeau finishing it off.

Blues are good and Tarasenko might be drooling at the thought of lighting the lamp in this one.

 

[KGL]

Really looking forward to the new lines. JVR-Kadri-Komarov were solid together but offensively something wasn't clicking for Kadri. It'll be interesting to see if he can start putting up points with Holland on his wing, could be a great fit.

 

[Budsfan]

By balance out the lines, I think you mean from having Zero lines scoring to trying to attempt to get at least one scoring.

LOL, well they were getting a little stale and maybe the changes will spark them to get something going but could be same old players and same old results but I would like to see some points put on the board and if they are not going to promote any Marlies like Nylander, this is as good as it gets, with a shake-up.