Leafs @ Rangers - Feb. 10th, 7:00pm - SNO, Fan 590

[CarltonTheBear]

@

34-17-3, 71 points | 23-23-8, 54 points

Projected Lines

Hyman-Tavares-Marner Marleau-Matthews-Kapanen Brown-Kadri-Nylander Lindholm-Gauthier-Johnsson Muzzin-Rielly Gardiner-Zaitsev Dermott-Hainsey Sparks ​

Kreider-Zibanejad-Zuccarello Buchnevich-Hayes-Fast Chytil-Strome-Namestnikov Vesey-Nieves-Lettieri Skjei-McQuaid Staal-DeAngelo Smith-Shattenkirk Lundqvist​

Scratches

Igor Ozhiganov Justin Holl ​

Neal Pionk        ​

Game Notes

TOR
?Sparks (7-3-1, 2.83 GAA, .909 Sv%) will likely start for the Leafs
?The Leafs are now 5-0-1 in their last 6 games and are 4th in the league in points

NYR
?Lundqvist (16-14-8, 2.99 GAA, .907 Sv%) will likely start for the Rangers
?New York's season is essentially over as they sit 9 points out of a playoff spot with 4 non-playoff teams ahead of them
?They aren't exactly going down quietly though, as they're 6-4-1 in their last 11 games and have wins over the Bruins (twice) and the Islanders in that stretch
?Mika Zibanejad is also far from giving up: the centre has 23 points in his last 18 games
?The Rangers have two notable pending UFA forwards in Kevin Hayes and Mats Zuccarello. Hayes started the season slow in October but has 32 points in his last 31 games. Zuccarello has 20 points in his last 23 games

Injuries

?Tyler Ennis - Ankle - Injured Reserve​

?Brett Howden - Knee - Injured Reserve ?Fredrik Claesson - Shoulder - Injured Reserve​

Stream Options

https://www.reddit.com/r/NHLstreams
​

 

[ZBBM]

They can't afford to let their guard down.

This game is huge.

 

[Bender]

Anyone else not realize they had a back to back until literally just now?

 

[Zee]

They can't afford to let their guard down.

This game is huge.

Let's go for 5 in a row, I'm on a mission to get a full green chunk

 

[ZBBM]

They can't afford to let their guard down.

This game is huge.

Let's go for 5 in a row, I'm on a mission to get a full green chunk

Let it be so.

Gotta miss this one tonite so keeping fingers crossed for a good outcome.

 

[azzurri63]

Hoping for another solid game from Sparks.
Leafs can keep the Zibanejad line under control should be just fine.
That line especially Zib has been lights out lately.
Also hoping for better efforts from Kadri, Matthews and Marner as they were brutal last night.

 

[disco]

Been a full nine days. See if there's enough left in the tank for the dubb.

 

[Redleaf]

Hoping for another solid game from Sparks.
Leafs can keep the Zibanejad line under control should be just fine.
That line especially Zib has been lights out lately.
Also hoping for better efforts from Kadri, Matthews and Marner as they were brutal last night.

Yes. I'm a little concerned about Matthews myself. He seems to be avoiding physical contact and shying away from busy areas of the ice. He's either been holding out on going full throttle a little longer, until his shoulder is 100% again or is waiting for the playoffs to assert his dominance. Either way its concerning. Is he headed for post season shoulder surgery?

 

[Guilt Trip]

The only thing that concerns me about Matthews is his linemates. Marleau just isn't cutting it and IMO is dragging the line down. Time to put Johnsson there in his place.

 

[OldTimeHockey]

Hoping for another solid game from Sparks.
Leafs can keep the Zibanejad line under control should be just fine.
That line especially Zib has been lights out lately.
Also hoping for better efforts from Kadri, Matthews and Marner as they were brutal last night.

Yes. I'm a little concerned about Matthews myself. He seems to be avoiding physical contact and shying away from busy areas of the ice. He's either been holding out on going full throttle a little longer, until his shoulder is 100% again or is waiting for the playoffs to assert his dominance. Either way its concerning. Is he headed for post season shoulder surgery?

I think Matthews' problem is he's been placed on a black hole of a line. Kapanen is real fast but not much else and has no playmaking ability. Marleau is Marleau. Neither is going to get Matthews the puck like Marner is getting the puck to Tavares.
Matthews is your sniper. He shouldn't be the one retrieving pucks in the corners.

 

[Andy007]

Hoping for another solid game from Sparks.
Leafs can keep the Zibanejad line under control should be just fine.
That line especially Zib has been lights out lately.
Also hoping for better efforts from Kadri, Matthews and Marner as they were brutal last night.

Yes. I'm a little concerned about Matthews myself. He seems to be avoiding physical contact and shying away from busy areas of the ice. He's either been holding out on going full throttle a little longer, until his shoulder is 100% again or is waiting for the playoffs to assert his dominance. Either way its concerning. Is he headed for post season shoulder surgery?

I think Matthews' problem is he's been placed on a black hole of a line. Kapanen is real fast but not much else and has no playmaking ability. Marleau is Marleau. Neither is going to get Matthews the puck like Marner is getting the puck to Tavares.
Matthews is your sniper. He shouldn't be the one retrieving pucks in the corners.

I think this is bang on. And Kapanen, imo, looked best on the 3rd line with Kadri. Nylander and Johnsson need to be put with Matthews asap.

 

[Zee]

They can't afford to let their guard down.

This game is huge.

Let's go for 5 in a row, I'm on a mission to get a full green chunk

Let it be so.

Gotta miss this one tonite so keeping fingers crossed for a good outcome.

Nylander hattrick against his dad's old team

 

[cujo4ever]

GO LEAFS GO!

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Ennis is officially off the IR. Wonder if he gets into the line-up.

 

[louisstamos]

Ennis is officially off the IR. Wonder if he gets into the line-up.

Who would come out?  My guess would be the Goat, but might be an off-chance of Lindholm or Brown?

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Ennis is officially off the IR. Wonder if he gets into the line-up.

Who would come out?  My guess would be the Goat, but might be an off-chance of Lindholm or Brown?

Brown? Absolutely no chance. It's really a toss-up between Goat and Lindholm. I'd guess Lindholm stays because he plays on the PK as well but who knows.

 

[hockeyfan1]

Would like to see linemate change for Auston.  Reuniting him with Willy and adding Johnsson there would do wonders for Matthews.  Scoring is his fort not mucking in the corners.  Nylander is adept at passing the puck to a sniping Matthews.  Plus Johnsson can take care of things at his own end.

Do it Babcock!

GO LEAFS GO!

 

[barney_rebel]

We stink btw...

 

[lc9]

Seriously, what is the wrong with this team and starting games?  They are rarely ready. 

 

[lc9]

Unreal. They just won?t score the PP.