Leafs @ Lightning - Mar. 20th, 7:30pm - TSN4, TSN 1050

[CarltonTheBear]

@

43-22-7, 93 points | 49-19-4, 102 points

Projected Lines

Johnsson-Nylander-Hyman Marleau-Kadri-Marner JVR-Bozak-Brown Leivo-Plekanec-Kapanen Rielly-Hainsey Gardiner-Polak Dermott-Carrick Andersen ​

Miller-Stamkos-Kucherov Killorn-Point-Gourde Conacher-Johnson-Erne Kunitz-Cirelli-Callahan Hedman-Stralman McDonagh-Girardi Sergachev-Coburn Vasilevskiy​

Scratches

Nikita Zaitsev Dominic Moore Matt Martin Leo Komarov ​

Cedric Pacquette Jake Dotchin Andrej Sustr Slater Koekkoek ​

Game Notes

TOR
?Andersen (33-18-5, 2.79 GAA, .919 Sv%) will likely start for the Leafs
?Andersen took part in a full practice yesterday and told the media that he felt good. Babcock wasn't positive that he'd be starting but with Sparks being returned to the Marlies he'll almost certainly at least dress
?Matthews, Zaitsev, and Komarov have all been confirmed to be out for today's game. The first two though appear to be close to returning

TB
?Vasilevskiy (40-14-3, 2.53 GAA, .92 Sv%) will likely start for the Lightning
?Vasilevskiy has struggled the past couple of months. He has a 3.40 GAA and .901 Sv% in his past 24 games. Despite those stats his record is still 14-9-1 during that stretch
?J.T. Miller has 10 points in 9 games since being traded to the Lightning. He began his time there on the team's 2nd line but is now playing with Stamkos and Kucherov

Injuries

?Nathan Horton - Back - Out indefinitely ?Joffrey Lupul - Actually Injured - Out indefinitely ?Auston Matthews - Shoulder - Injured Reserve ?Nikita Zaitsev - Flu - Out Tuesday ?Leo Komarov - Lower Body - Out Tuesday ?Frederik Andersen - Upper Body - Probable Tuesday​

?Ondrej Palat - Lower Body - Injured Reserve​

Stream Options

https://www.reddit.com/r/NHLstreams
​

 

[ZBBM]

Interesting numbers on Vasil, like Andersen he was getting some Vezina touting but (unlike Andersen) it looks like his team has been carrying him lately.

Their defense with the addition of McDonagh is pretty monster.  Looking ahead, I'd be pretty darned happy with this season is we could beat BOS in the first round (to get that experience) before losing to the Lightning ... I think the Cup is going to them this year.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

https://twitter.com/Erik_Erlendsson/status/976103982597853184

Looks like Palat will be returning to Tampa's line-up. He's been out for about 2 months.

 

[herman]

Andersen gets the start.

If Andersen stays healthy, he'll play the next 5 games after tonight, which come up every other day. He then gets a two day break when McElhinney takes the back half of a B2B against Winnipeg on 3/31. Andersen then closes out the last three games 4/02 (BUF) and 4/05 (@NJD) and 4/07 (MTL). I can see the Leafs resting starters on the MTL game and playing McElhinney, Martin, Leivo, Moore.

Because Montreal scratched Plekanec just before he was traded, barring injury or suspension, he will wind up at 999 career GP in that final game of the regular season against Montreal.

 

[disco]

go leafs go.

#watermark #litmustest #statementgame #bunsunburner

 

[cujo4ever]

Go Leafs Go!

Should be a fun game to watch.

 

[ZBBM]

I for one like O'Neill's jacket.

 

[dappleganger]

If Rielly can get to 50 points that will be a nice milestone.

Edit: He'd be the first Leaf D-man since Kaberle in '07-'08 to attain the mark.

 

[herman]

I like our pressure so far.

 

[herman]

Babcock using Plekanec on that DZ draw alongside JvR and Bozak. Immediate OZ time.

 

[ZBBM]

Babcock using Plekanec on that DZ draw alongside JvR and Bozak. Immediate OZ time.

Last 3 games or so Plekanec is beginning to show some of the goods that they targeted him for.

 

[herman]

Someone just ate a puck on the Tampa side.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Someone just ate a puck on the Tampa side.

Stralman I believe.

 

[herman]

Babcock using Plekanec on that DZ draw alongside JvR and Bozak. Immediate OZ time.

Last 3 games or so Plekanec is beginning to show some of the goods that they targeted him for.

All of his ?issues? stemmed from being completely outside his 15 yr routine. Everything in the system, where to go for practices, dressing room conventions, places to eat, friend network, family-time schedule.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Last 3 games or so Plekanec is beginning to show some of the goods that they targeted him for.

Who coulda known that playing for a new team for the first time in 14 years would have been difficult.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Johnsson-Nylander-Hyman has been a solid line. Hyman on the right side looks like a different player.

 

[herman]

Someone just ate a puck on the Tampa side.

Stralman I believe.

Yeah. Looks like he?s fine. He?s fortunate it was Connor ?tap-in? Brown.

 

[Guru Tugginmypuddah]

JVR!

 

[CarltonTheBear]

JVRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

 

[ZBBM]

That was BEAUTIFUL