Maple Leafs Game Day Preview: First Clash with Bruins – Hockey Writer – Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs return to action tonight against one of their biggest rivals, the Boston Bruins. This Original Six showdown is always one of the most fun to watch, but it plays a little different when it happens on Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday Night.
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The Maple Leafs are looking to extend their winning streak to four games. They’ve defeated the Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Utah Mammoths in their past three games, showing steady improvement along the way. They dominated the Flyers, got the win over the Penguins with a strong third quarter, and then beat the Mammoths with an all-around performance. Things are moving in the right direction. Their stars are playing like stars and it’s starting to show.
Tonight’s hockey game is scheduled for 7:00pm at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto and can be watched on CBC, SNO, SNW, SNP, NESN.
Maple Leafs News:
The team announced that they have placed Cayden Primeau on waivers. The move comes as Joseph Wall prepares to return to the NHL. Wall has taken a leave of absence and will report to training with the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League. With Primo off waivers and Wall joining the American Hockey League, Dennis Hilderby has been called up as a backup and could start tomorrow against the Carolina Hurricanes.
On defense, Chris Tanev returned to practice after playing on a stretcher against the Flyers last Saturday. His head and neck injuries were not concussions, and seeing him slide backwards was a good sign. The team also sent rookie Easton Cowan to the AHL and Scott Laughton returned to the lineup. Lawton made his debut Wednesday night against the Mammoths. Cowan is the only player eligible for waivers and available for reassignment, a move that gives him a chance to play more than 20 minutes a night on the Marlies’ top line.
Finally, the situation with David Kampf continues to evolve. Kempf and his agent are expected to make a decision on his future on Monday, according to Darren Dreger. Currently, he is still suspended without pay from the team. It’s increasingly likely that his contract will be terminated, which would make him a free agent and allow him to sign with another team.
Team statisticss
toronto maple leafs
Season record: 8-5-1 (17 points)
Top scorer:
- William Nylander – 6 G, 14 A, 20 P
- John Tavares – 7 G, 11 A, 18 P
- Matthew Ness – 5 G, 13 A, 18 P
- Auston Matthews – 8 G, 4 A, 12 P
- Morgan Rielly – 2 G, 8 A, 10 P
Goalie statistics:
Anthony Stolarz – 6-4-1, 3.11 GAA, 0.895 SV%
Dennis Hilderby – 2-2-1, 2.74 GAA, 0.890 SV% *American Hockey League Statistics*
boston Bruins
Season record: 9-7-0 (18 points)
Top scorer:
- David Pastrnak – 7 G, 11 A, 18 P
- Pavel Zacha – 4 G, 10 A, 14 P
- Morgan Geek – 10 G, 3 A, 13 P
- Charlie McAvoy – 0 G, 12 A, 12 P
- Elias Lindholm – 4 G, 5 A, 9 P
Goalie statistics:
Jeremy Silverman – 5-4-0, 3.10 GAA, 0.897 SV%
Jonas Korpisalo – 4-3-0, 3.24 GAA, 0.885 SV%
Expected lineup
(Subject to change before puck drops)
Maple Leafs projected lineup
Matthew Ness — Auston Matthews — William Nylander
Bobby McMahon – John Tavares – Nicholas Robertson
Dakota Joshua – Nicholas Roy – Mathias Mercieri
Steven Lorenz – Scott Laughton – Max Domi
Morgan Reilly — Brandon Carlo
Oliver Aikman-Larsson — Jack McCabe
Simon Benoit – Philip Myers
Anthony Stolarz
Dennis Hilderby
Scratches: Calle Jarnkrok,Sammy Blais,Dakota Mermis,Cayden Primeau
Injuried: Chris Tanev (upper body)
Boston Bruins projected lineup
Morgan Geek — Marat Kusnudinov — David Pastrnak
Alex Steves – Pavel Zacha – Viktor Arvidson
Tanner Jeanno — Fraser Minten — Mark Castelich
Jeffrey Weir — Sean Kuraly — Michael Esmont
Nikita Zadorov – Henry Jokihayu
Hampus Lindholm — Andrew Peake
Mason Lochley — Jonathan Aspiro
Jeremy Silverman
Jonas Korpisalo
Scratches: Charlie McAvoy
Injuried: Elias Lindholm (lower body), Jordan Harris (surgery), Casey Mittelstadt (lower body), Johnny Beecher (upper body)
