Tonight, the Toronto Maple Leafs clash with their long-time Original Six rival, Montreal. The Canadiens, eliminated from playoff contention, would love to play spoiler against the visiting Maple Leafs. Both teams are coming off tough losses to the Tampa Bay Lightning and hope to reverse their fortunes.
With the Philadelphia Flyers and the Washington Capitals each losing last night, the Maple Leafs made the playoffs. This is the team’s eighth straight postseason appearance. Who knows how that will impact the team’s play tonight? However, Auston Matthews’ historic 70-goal chase will bring extra excitement to the game.
Item One: Three Things for Maple Leafs Fans to Watch For Tonight
Maple Leafs fans might want to watch for three things in tonight’s game. First, as noted, Matthews is pursuing history. He has seven games left and seven goals remaining in his quest for a 70-goal season. With 63 goals already under his belt, Matthews remains the focal point of Toronto’s offense.
Second, Mitch Marner will return to the lineup tonight. He’s been out for a dozen games recovering from an ankle injury. His presence will bolster Toronto’s offense generally and should pump up the team in two ways. First, can he add to the team’s power play effectiveness? Second, can he be Matthew’s personal catalyst as the Arizona native reaches for higher goal totals?
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Third, can Montreal beat its old rivals? Montreal is no longer the spoiler after the Maple Leafs made the playoffs, yet the Canadiens would love to beat the Blue & White in front of home-ice fans and finish the season on a high note.
Item Two: Maple Leafs Clinch Spot in Postseason
Heading into the playoffs, the Maple Leafs rely on several key leaders to guide the team’s quest for a deep postseason run. Here are some of the principal leaders on the team:
Matthews leads his team with an impressive 99 points and an NHL league-leading 63 goals. Close behind, William Nylander has contributed 95 points, with 40 goals and 55 assists adding to Toronto’s offensive prowess. Goalie Ilya Samsonov has been a recent standout for the Maple Leafs in the crease, posting an impressive 21-6 record in the second half of the season.
The Maple Leafs’ current record is 43-23-9. This season, they hope to move further than getting dumped by the Florida Panthers in the second round of the playoffs in 2023. They will likely meet the same Panthers who pushed them aside last postseason. The Maple Leafs will be seeking their 14th Stanley Cup.
Item Three: With Mitch Marner Returning Tonight, Things Change
The Maple Leafs welcome back a key player to their lineup as they face the Canadiens on Saturday night. In more news about right-winger Marner’s return from an ankle injury, it looks like he will slot back into his regular role on the power play. However, he skated with John Tavares and Bobby McMann on the second line in Friday’s practice. Matthews stayed on the team’s top line with Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi.
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Interestingly, Head Coach Sheldon Keefe is looking to distribute the team’s scoring across multiple lines, leveraging the team’s depth for the playoffs. Bertuzzi has picked up his game lately, scoring 19 goals and adding 19 assists. Domi also plays well with Matthews and has shown himself to be a great playmaker for elite scorers. He has scored eight goals and added 34 assists.
Look for Marner’s return to inject some creativity into the lineup. After missing 12 games, he will add 25 goals and 51 assists to the team’s offense. The Maple Leafs’ third line could be really interesting to watch. Nylander will be seeking the 100-point mark on the season. He’s joined by youngsters Pontus Holmberg and Matthew Knies. Holmberg is usually a strong defender, and Knies brings size and seems to have been sharpening his edge. That line could bring a few different looks if he can refrain from goofy penalties.
What happens with McMann will be interesting to watch. He needs to play.
What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?
The combination of speed, skill, and playmaking across all three lines promises to make the Maple Leafs a potent scoring threat down the home stretch of the regular season; when they get to the playoffs, their success will hinge significantly on the team’s defense. Can the Maple Leafs contain the Panthers’ potent offense? In the two team’s last game in Toronto, the Maple Leafs (to my eye) looked faster than the Panthers by a step all night long.
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While reshuffling their forward lines by splitting up Matthews and Marner might boost offensive depth, the defense must limit opponents’ scoring opportunities. Overcoming years of playoff disappointments will require a balanced team effort, with the defense playing a pivotal role in ensuring the team’s advancement during the postseason.
