GDT: Leafs @ Panthers

[GardinerTheForward]

Hyman is back.
I’ve got several hours to go at Pearson so firgured I’d get us going.


Let’s gooooooo!!

Click to read more...

 

[Budsfan]

Game Day: Maple Leafs at Panthers
Terry KoshanMore from Terry Koshan
Game Day: Maple Leafs at Panthers

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS at FLORIDA PANTHERS
Saturday, 7 p.m., BB&T Center,
TV: CBC, Sportsnet One; Radio: 1050 AM
THE BIG MATCHUP
Morgan Rielly vs. Aaron Ekblad
Already in 2018-19, Morgan Rielly has set a career high from the Maple Leafs blue line with 10 goals. Aaron Ekblad, his counterpart with the Panthers — if we’re taking into account young defencemen with their best days still to come — has seven goals and is on pace for 19, which would represent a career high. Each carry a game for his respective club. Rielly had a six-game point streak snapped in Tampa, while Ekblad will be looking for his first point in three games.
FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME
1. Short memories
A hallmark of a good team is to bounce back from a rare off night, though the Maple Leafs will have something else in mind. They’re going to attempt to shrug off the mental challenge that could come from what should have been a win in Tampa, and forget it as they would a bad loss. For the first time this season, the Leafs have lost three times in four games, though heading into NHL games on Friday, they continued to own the most road wins, 12.
2. Kapanen cruising
One reason why Leafs coach Mike Babcock has not been in a rush to get William Nylander back on the right side with Auston Matthews has been the play of Kasperi Kapanen, who is on pace for 31 goals. We imagine Nylander will be moved to Matthews’ line eventually, once the Swede finds his groove. It could still be a while for Nylander, who has two points in four games since re-signing. Kapanen’s speed continues to create at least a couple of scoring chances a game.
3. Boughner bothered
Panthers coach Bob Boughner, his team not far off the bottom in the overall NHL standings, indicated after a loss in Minnesota on Thursday night that a shakeup could come, whether it’s through line changes or players summoned from the minors. Where Toronto’s effort can’t be questioned, Florida’s can be. “Even when you’re down, the message is play to the buzzer and play with pride,” Boughner said. “I thought some guys did and I didn’t think some guys did.”
4. No early lead safe
What, pray tell, will the high-octane Leafs do if the Panthers happen to score first? The chance that Toronto comes back to win would be high. Entering games on Friday, the Panthers held a rather unfortunate distinction, as they were the only team in the NHL to have as many regulation losses (five) as victories (five) when opening the scoring. Florida’s 5-5-5 mark when going up 1-0 is the NHL’s worst mark. The Leafs are 6-9-0 after trailing 1-0; their loss in Tampa marked the first time (15-1-1) they have fallen in regulation when scoring first.
5. More power when even
Led by Keith Yandle (19 power-play points), Mike Hoffman (14) and Jonathan Huberdeau (14), the Panthers have an effective power play, But at even-strength, there’s no doubt the Leafs should have an upper hand. Toronto has 79 goals during five-on-five play and has given up 58; Florida has 56 and has given up 71. That would indicate that if the Leafs are as determined as they were two nights earlier in Tampa, special teams should not have to be the determining factor in the outcome.
MAPLE LEAFS LINES
LW-C-RW
Andreas Johnsson-Auston Matthews-Kasperi Kapanen
Zach Hyman-John Tavares-Mitch Marner
Patrick Marleau-Nazem Kadri-William Nylander
Tyler Ennis-Par Lindholm-Connor Brown
Defence pairs
Morgan Rielly-Ron Hainsey
Jake Gardiner-Nikita Zaitsev
Travis Dermott-Igor Ozhiganov
Goaltenders
Frederik Andersen
Garret Sparks
PANTHERS LINES
LW-C-RW
Jonathan Huberdeau-Aleksander Barkov-Mike Hoffman
Evgenii Dadonov-Jared McCann-Anthony Greco
Dryden Hunt-Denis Malgin-Frank Vatrano
Troy Brouwer-Juho Lammikko-Colton Sceviour
Defence pairs
Keith Yandle-Aaron Ekblad
Michael Matheson-Alex Petrovic
Mark Pysyk-MacKenzie Weegar
Goaltenders
Roberto Luongo
James Reimer
INJURIES
Panthers — C Derek MacKenzie (shoulder), C Vincent Trocheck (ankle), LW Jamie McGinn (back), F Nick Bjugstad (upper body).
Maple Leafs — None.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Power play
Panthers: 26.7% (5th)
Maple Leafs: 24.1% (8th)
Penalty kill
Panthers: 78% (20th)
Maple Leafs: 79.5% (15th)

 

[FinlandPanther]

Destroy us please. Bring on 7.

 

[Suntouchable13]

We've lost 3 straight to Atlantic teams and got lit up. Have to reverse that trend tonight

 

[TheGreatOne11]

Matthew's and Tavares scoring competition tonight.

 

[Nineteen67]

This feels like a Tuesday night game.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

What a boring ass Saturday night game.

 

[inthe6ix]

NHL schedule maker should be shot; TB on Thurs and FLA on Sat HNIC?? wtf

 

[TakeTheBody]

Thursday. Saturday. Who cares? Play the damn game. The announcers on CBC will make any game bland. Get over it.

 

[TheGroceryStick]

Matthew's and Tavares scoring competition tonight.

I'm still waiting for them to have some fun. Vasy/cold PP, prevent that in the last game.

Let's get that PP on track, build some confidence/ego (Kadri/Nylander) and finish the Florida trip in style.

 

[Mess]

Do it for the Moms !!!

 

[Warden of the North]

This has to be the first time we've played Florida on Saturday in decades. Like when we played Minny a few weeks ago

Anyways, I want a crushing victory.

 

[Nineteen67]

NHL schedule maker should be shot; TB on Thurs and FLA on Sat HNIC?? wtf

After playing at TPA this has all the makings of trap game. The Leafs could find themselves in 6 th place if they don’t have their heads in it.

 

[hockeyes]

Gotta think they will be extra motivated to fill the net after last game

 

[Heritage]

I am at this game tonight, so let’s light them up!!

 

[Mess]

Having Zach back will help Leafs.

 

[GardinerTheForward]

I am at this game tonight, so let’s light them up!!

Me too!!

 

[LeafSteel]

Wondering if Holl will be giving Babcock a Christmas card this year?

 

[GardinerTheForward]

Wondering if Holl will be giving Babcock a Christmas card this year?

Coloured it by hand in the box

 

[canadon]

Hopefully Kadri finally stops hitting the posts and pots in a couple tonight.

 

[DarkKnight]

Bye Goat.

 

[Lenovs]

Having Zach back will help Leafs.

as well as playing the panthers

 

[lebdafor norris]

Will Reimer be on net? If so, I expect their to be a lot of rebound opportunities tonight.

 

[Suntouchable13]

I feel bad for the few die hard fans of this Florida franchise. They have seen nothing but crap for as long as that franchise existed, other than 1996 and a couple of other playoff appearances since then. They are back to last place in the division, my God that's terrible. Where is the light at the end of the tunnel for them? They are not making the playoffs this season, again. Their team is completely irrelevant.

 

[FinlandPanther]

I feel bad for the few die hard fans of this Florida franchise. They have seen nothing but crap for as long as that franchise existed, other than 1996 and a couple of other playoff appearances since then. They are back to last place in the division, my God that's terrible. Where is the light at the end of the tunnel for them? They are not making the playoffs this season, again. Their team is completely irrelevant.

Yeah it’s rough. We’re honestly hoping for something close to your guy’s success. We know you guys were in purgatory for a bit there and got out finally. Here’s hoping lol.