Preview: Leafs in Florida
Once more vs the wild card team.
Toronto Maple Leafs @ Florida Panthers
07:00 PM at FLA Live Arena
Watch on: BSFLX, SNO
The Leafs last game was an away game on March 21 against the New York Islanders, which Toronto lost by a score of 7-2. The Leafs have a record of 42-19-9 so far.
The Florida Panthers last played an away game on March 21 against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Panthers lost by a score of 6-3, and their current league record is 36-28-7.
Them
The New York Islanders Florida Panthers have a big, big problem and, like most big problems, it’s a cat from Long Island. The Islanders are in the first wild card spot in the east by points, with Florida (the big problem cat) one point three points behind. The Penguins are one more point behind point ahead of the Panthers and back in second spot.
By points %, the order is unchanged, but with 10 - 11 games left for all three teams, any final order is plausible. Washington, Ottawa and Buffalo are all at least six points back.
Lines
David Dwork via Daily Faceoff
Subject to change, but from today:
Anton Lundell - Aleksander Barkov - Sam Reinhart
Carter Verhaeghe - Eetu Luostarinen - Matthew Tkachuk
Ryan Lomberg - Eric Staal - Anthony Duclair
Givani Smith - Colin White - Nick Cousins
Gustav Forsling - Aaron Ekblad
Marc Staal - Brandon Montour
Josh Mahura - Radko Gudas
Sergei Bobrovsky - likely starter
Alex Lyon
Us
Oh, Leafs. Why do you have to be like this, losing to the Islanders like that? Don’t do it again.
Bobby McMann is now injured, so Wayne Simmonds will draw in. Judging by the practice lines from yesterday (listed below) it seems Timothy Liljegren and Erik Gustafsson are in the pressbox tonight.
Matt Murray starts, as Ilya Samsonov has already returned home to await Sammy Jr. Joe Woll has not been recalled yet, but one assumes he will be. He played last night in a loss in a shootout with the Marlies.
Lines
Calle Järnkrok - Auston Matthews - Mitch Marner
Michael Bunting - John Tavares - William Nylander
Alex Kerfoot - Noel Acciari - Sam Lafferty
Zach Aston-Reese - David Kämpf - Wayne Simmonds
Jake McCabe - TJ Brodie
Mark Giordano - Justin Holl
Morgan Rielly - Luke Schenn
Matt Murray - starter
???
The Game
They need to win, the Leafs are actually fairly comfortable in second place with three points on Tampa, two games in hand and the first tie-breaker. Winning this game will make that situation even more uncomfortable, though. I suggest winning.
By the way:
If Boston get two points while Toronto get none, the Bruins will win the Atlantic.
— Micah Blake McCurdy (@IneffectiveMath) March 23, 2023