Tonight, Toronto Maple Leafs fans will see what their team has learned since the New Jersey Devils’ game last Tuesday. Since being called out by head coach Sheldon Keefe, they’ve put up two strong performances – even with key players out of the lineup. The question is whether they do it against perhaps one of the best NHL teams this season.
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Auston Matthews has hit the 60-goal mark again this season. Any goal from now on will add to his personal best. The Maple Leafs’ opponent tonight will be the formidable Florida Panthers, who still have a chance to finish first in the Atlantic Division. They are only two points behind the Boston Bruins with a game in hand. The game should be a good test for both teams.
Item One: Three Things Fans Should Look for Tonight
Tonight’s game could foreshadow the first round of the playoffs. That has to be on both team’s minds. If that is the case, here are a few things fans should keep an eye on.
First, can Matthews continue his scoring? After scoring number 60 in Buffalo against the Sabres on Saturday, he returns home to the Scotiabank Arena. He’ll likely get a nice welcome from fans after his record-breaking performance. He’s now the only active NHL player with two 60-goal seasons. It would be nice if he could get number 61 in front of hometown fans.
Second, fans should watch out for Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov. His leadership and offensive abilities have helped push his team to success. Recently, Barkov put up his ninth straight 20-goal season.
[As an aside, many fans believe Barkov is Russian. That’s not accurate. He was born in Tampere, Finland, on Sept. 2, 1995. He’s of Russian descent because his father, Aleksander Barkov Sr., was a Russian professional ice hockey player who represented his country internationally. However, Barkov Jr. represents Finland internationally.]
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Third, both teams boast talented netminders, including Toronto’s Ilya Samsonov. Expect a goaltending duel as both netminders seek to shut down the other team’s offense and ensure the win for their team. Today’s Daily Faceoff indicated that fans will likely see Sergei Bobrovsky (unconfirmed) go against Samsonov (confirmed).
Item Two: Ilya Samsonov Named Starter in Tonight’s Game
Samsonov has been confirmed as the starter for tonight’s game. He’s coming off one of his best games of the season, with a 34-save shutout against the Sabres. He now has put up an impressive 20-6-7 record this season.
His other numbers are also trending in the right direction. His goals-against average (GAA) is now 3.03, and his save percentage is up to .893 in his 35 games. His recent form has been spectacular. He’s put up a remarkable 12-2-1 record and a .910 save percentage in his last 15 games. He’ll be facing off against a team that ranks 14th in the league with a 3.19 goals-per-game average this season. If he’s on his game again, Toronto has a good chance of winning.
Item Three: Marshall Rifai Has Been Moving Up and Down Between the AHL and the NHL
The past few days have been a bit of a paper chase for defenseman Marshall Rifai as he’s bounced between the American Hockey League (AHL) and the NHL. Initially sent down to AHL Toronto on Sunday, he was recalled to the Maple Leafs today.
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Rifai’s return to the NHL comes when the Maple Leafs are grappling with injuries to the blue line. Morgan Rielly, Timothy Liljegren, and Joel Edmundson are all sidelined with injuries. Rifai will provide much-needed depth and support for the team. He’s been a standout in the AHL this season, with 17 points in 49 games. Right now, he’s insurance in case of injury. It will be interesting to see if he’s ever more than that with the Maple Leafs organization.
What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?
The Maple Leafs have nine regular-season games remaining. After tonight’s game against the Panthers, the Tampa Bay Lightning come to town on Wednesday. Those two games will be good tests for the team.
The team then has a few days off and goes on the road for an away game in what will be a classic Hockey Night in Canada game against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday. After returning home for a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday, April 8, they head out on the road for a quick back-to-back against the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday.
The Devils game might be interesting. The team might be seeking payback for the embarrassment of the loss that began the current strong play. The team will likely seek to measure its success against the team from the Garden State.
