The Toronto Maple Leafs travel to Montreal to once again play their Original Six Canadiens rival tonight. Although the Canadiens are soaring with points in six straight games (5-0-1), they still sit outside the playoffs. However, should they win one of their next two games, they will push past the Boston Bruins into a playoff spot and drop the Bruins out of one.
Interestingly, should the Canadiens lose their next two games and the Ottawa Senators win one of their next two, the Senators would jump into the last Eastern Conference playoff spot and drop the Bruins out. Also, as interesting, should that scenario occur, the Maple Leafs would be the only Original Six team in the postseason after 46 games played. Times have changed.
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The Maple Leafs hope to win two in a row and build momentum after a come-from-behind 4-3 overtime win versus the New Jersey Devils. For tonight’s game, John Tavares remains sidelined with a lower-body injury. That gives Max Domi a chance to jump into the second-line center position. Against the Devils, blue liner Jake McCabe made a solid return from injury, adding to the team’s defensive stability.
Item One: Domi Hits 300 Career Assists & 700 NHL Games
Speaking of Domi, congratulations are in order. During the Devils game, Domi reached one milestone when he put up his 300th career assist. It was a beautiful head-swiveling pass that helped bring the Maple Leafs back into the game. Domi’s playmaking abilities are remarkable, primarily when he can feed the puck to elite scorers like Auston Matthews or William Nylander.
Also, when he suits up for tonight’s game in Montreal, he’ll hit the 700th game of his NHL career. If he can reprise his nice run last season in similar circumstances (filling in for injuries), his offensive spark will make an impact. Here’s to many more milestones ahead!
Item Two: Can McMann Break Out of His Slump?
After a hot streak with six goals and four assists over nine games in December, Bobby McMann has cooled off offensively. On Thursday night, he ended a six-game point drought with an assist in the Maple Leafs’ 4-3 win, adding two hits to show his physical presence.
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McMann has scored 18 points, had 64 hits, and has a plus-6 rating in 38 games. Despite his recent slump, his middle-six role shows the coaching staff believes he can impact a game’s outcome. With the Maple Leafs pushing for a high playoff position, McMann’s ability to rediscover his scoring touch could be crucial. One thing about the youngster is that he can absolutely go on a heater. Should he do so, he’d help cover the loss of Tavares.
Item Three: Can Tanev Reach the 20-Point Mark?
Chris Tanev seldom puts up high offensive numbers, and no one expects him to. That said, he broke a four-game point drought with an assist in Thursday’s win over the Devils. Looking at his season totals, the 35-year-old defenseman has 14 points in 45 games. That puts him on track to hit the 20-point mark for the first time since 2021-22.
What Tanev does bring is solid defense. He has already registered 123 blocked shots and a plus-16 rating. He’s brought a steady presence to the Maple Leafs’ top-four defense pairings. In his first season with the Blue & White, Tanev has proven valuable in so many ways. However, if he can keep up his offensive pace, he could near a career benchmark.
What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?
As the Maple Leafs prepare for tonight’s rivalry game against Montreal, the goaltending battle between Joseph Woll and Jakub Dobes could be good. Both goalies have been essential players for their teams, and the outcome of this game might hinge on which of the two plays better.
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The Canadiens are hot, putting up an 11-2-1 record over their past 14 games. Their defensive play has tightened, and they’ve allowed four or more goals only twice in their last 10 games. As noted, rookie goalie Dobes has been impressive, compiling his fourth career win with 32 saves against the Dallas Stars. It could be a fun game.
