Budsfan
Registered User
- Sep 17, 2006
- 19,218
- 1,365
Regular Season Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
46-24-7
Mar 30 7:00 PM ET
NEW YORK ISLANDERS
32-35-10
Leading Players
Mitchell Marner
67
Points
John Tavares
79
James van Riemsdyk
35
Goals
Anders Lee
39
Mitchell Marner
46
Assists
Mathew Barzal
58
Maple Leafs clinch Stanley Cup playoff berth
Senators beat Panthers in overtime, guaranteeing Toronto will advance to the post-season dance for the second straight season.
Maple Leafs clinch Stanley Cup playoff berth | Toronto Star
Tyler Bozak and James van Riemsdyk celebrate during Wednesday’s win over the Panthers. On Thursday, the Panthers lost to Ottawa in overtime, locking up a playoff spot for the Lefas. (Rick Madonik / Toronto Star)
By Kevin McGranSports Reporter
Thu., March 29, 2018
It was a bit anti-climactic the way the Maple Leafs clinched their second berth in a row in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
They were idle on Thursday, but when the Florida Panthers failed to pick up two points against the Ottawa Senators — losing 3-2 in overtime — the Maple Leafs were guaranteed a spot in the post-season.
Now the blue and white, who have already set a franchise mark for wins, have their eye on 50 for the season and would like to surpass the team record of 103 points. They return to action on the road Friday night against the New York Islanders before hosting the Winnipeg Jets, Canada’s only other Stanley Cup playoff representative, on Saturday night.
The playoffs have seemed inevitable for some time, far different than last year. It took until game 81 against the Pittsburgh Penguins — with Curtis McElhinney's kick save on a Sidney Crosby shot and Connor Brown's tip-in — to end a playoff drought in a heart-stopping final few weeks of the season.
But it will all be for naught if they exit the first round of the playoffs early.
GAME DAY: Maple Leafs at Islanders
Lance HornbyMore from Lance Hornby
GAME DAY: Maple Leafs at Islanders
MAPLE LEAFS AT NEW YORK ISLANDERS
Friday, 7 P.M. Barclays Center
TV: TSN RADIO: TSN 1050
THE BIG MATCHUP
C Auston Matthews vs. C Matthew Barzal
Last year’s Calder Trophy winner takes on this year’s favourite. Matthews has a point in all four games since returning from a shoulder injury and the Leafs hope he keeps revving up for playoffs. Barzal has a huge lead in rookie scoring with Brock Boeser’s injury and already has nine more points than Matthews finished with last year.
FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME
ISLE BE DAMNED
It’s a second straight season out of the playoffs after it seemed New York had turned the corner. Their disappointment at being eliminated was evident in a 3-0 home loss to Florida, though they beat the Senators in Ottawa in their last start. It shouldn’t take much for the high flying Leafs to demoralize them with an early goal or two. In early December, the Isles had been a force in the league.
LIGHT ‘EM UP
The Ises are allowing the most shots in the league per night at present (35.7) and Toronto has outscored them 9-3 in the two previous meetings, which included a shootout win in Toronto courtesy of Tyler Bozak. Matthews and Mitch Marner each have two goals so far in the set, but the last meeting was also when Cal Clutterbuck’s hit put Matthews on the shelf.
HONEST JOHN
John Tavares, with clouds of speculation about his future, has three goals and 12 assists this month and just four games when he was held off the scoresheet in that span. He has 26 points in 28 games against the Leafs, though Toronto is no longer considered his automatic destination should he leave.
HANDY ANDY
What’s next for Frederik Andersen after a career high 36th win on Wednesday? How about tying Andrew Raycroft and Ed Belfour for the team record of 37 (both men played before the shootout era). If the Leafs follow pattern, Andersen sits Saturday night while Curtis McElhinney takes on the Jets at the ACC.
LIFE OF RIELLY
Morgan Rielly, whose next point will be his 50th, will wear down the Isles. At an average of 30 shifts a game, he’s sixth in the league in that department.
MAPLE LEAFS GAME DAY LINES
LW C RW
Zach Hyman Auston Matthews William Nylander
Patrick Marleau Nazem Kadri Mitch Marner
James van Riemsdyk Tyler Bozak Connor Brown
Andreas Johnsson Tomas Plekanec Kasperi Kapanen
DEFENCE PAIRINGS
Morgan Rielly Ron Hainsey
Jake Gardiner Nikita Zaitsev
Roman Polak Travis Dermott
GOALIES
Frederik Andersen
Curtis McElhinney
SICK BAY
None
ISLANDERS GAME DAY LINES
LW C RW
Anders Lee John Tavares Josh Bailey
Anthony Beauvillier Matthew Barzal Jordan Eberle
Andrew Ladd Brock Nelson Tanner Fritz
Ross Johnston Chris Wagner Cal Clutterbuck
DEFENCE PAIRINGS
Thomas Hickey Ryan Pulock
Nick Leddy Johnny Boychuk
Brandon Davidson Adam Pelech
GOALIES
Jaroslav Halak
Christopher Gibson
SICK BAY
G Thomas Greiss
D Cavin de Haan
F Shane Prince
SPECIAL TEAMS
POWER PLAY
Toronto 23.5% (3rd)
NY Islanders 22.7% (7th)
PENALTY KILLING
Toronto 82.7% (6th)
NY Islanders 74.6% (30th)
I will Add more when it comes available
Last edited: