R1, G1: Lightning @ Leafs - May 2nd, 7:30pm - CBC, Fan 590

[CarltonTheBear]

@

51-23-8, 110 points | 54-21-7, 115 points
Projected Lines

Palat-Stamkos-Kucherov Hagel-Point-Cirelli Killorn-Colton-Paul Maroon-Bellemare-Perry Hedman-Rutta McDonagh-Cernak Sergachev-Bogosian Vasilevskiy ​

Kerfoot-Matthews-Marner Mikheyev-Tavares-Kase Nylander-Kampf-Engvall Clifford-Blackwell-Simmonds Rielly-Lyubushkin Muzzin-Brodie Giordano-Liljegren Campbell​

Scratches

Riley Nash Cal Foote ​

Jason Spezza Nick Abruzzese Justin Holl​

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Game Notes

TB
?Vasilevskiy (39-18-5, 2.49 GAA, .916 Sv%) will start for the Lightning
?Brayden Point missed a couple of games late in Tampa's season, including their regular season finale. But he's been confirmed to play in game 1
?Stamkos and Kucherov turned god-mode on late in the season: in Tampa's last 16 games of the season Stamkos had 33 points while Kucherov had 31. Point meanwhile only had 7 points in his last 14 games so the focus will certainly be on Tampa's top line at the start

TOR
?Campbell (31-9-6, 2.64 GAA, .914 Sv%) will start for the Leafs
?Since returning from his rib injury Campbell is 7-0-2 with a 2.59 GAA and .915 Sv%
?Kase skated on the 2nd line at practice on Monday and while Keefe called him a gametime decision his participation at practice is a good sign to him playing
?Bunting was also at practice and wearing a regular jersey but he left early and Keefe called him doubtful for game 1

Injuries

​

?Rasmus Sandin - Knee - Injured Reserve ?Petr Mrazek - Groin - Injured Reserve ?Michael Bunting - Lower Body - Doubtful ?Ondrej Kase - Head - Probable​

Stream Options

Sportsurge.net
NHL66
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[Kaberle15]

Great job CtB (as usual).

C'mon boy break this endless curse.

Go Leafs Go!!!

 

[L K]

Go Leafs Go

 

[pmrules]

Leafs in 7 - its going to be difficult though.  No excuses.

However, if we can beat Tampa - we can beat anybody. 

Go Leafs Go!!!

(yes I said "we")

 

[ZBBM]

Best defense we've iced yet since the core forwards arrived.  That's good.  But it all comes down to Campbell.  He'll have to have the series of his life to beat Vasilevskiy & Co.

But as I say every time in R1G1 threads, NO PESSIMISM ALLOWED!!

GO LEAFS GO

 

[AtomicMapleLeaf]

I'm here in New Mexico and I have the ESPN+ subscription. I noticed that the game is on ESPN2, for Leafs fans in the U.S. Do you know if the ESPN app will allow me to watch the game?

 

[Bill_Berg]

Go Leafs Go. Make me change my handle!

 

[Can8899]

I'm here in New Mexico and I have the ESPN+ subscription. I noticed that the game is on ESPN2, for Leafs fans in the U.S. Do you know if the ESPN app will allow me to watch the game?

I would think so but ESPN seems to randomly block games in my area (Raleigh, NC) so who the heck knows.

Good luck

 

[Zee]

Leafs in 4

 

[Joe S.]

To take us back to a time of playoff excitement, I?d like to reintroduce something that we did back then. And that was yelling PAT QUINN in playoff game day threads.

PAT QUINN!!!!!!!

 

[Guilt Trip]

To take us back to a time of playoff excitement, I?d like to reintroduce something that we did back then. And that was yelling PAT QUINN in playoff game day threads.

PAT QUINN!!!!!!!

Well ok then..
PAT QUINN!

 

[CarltonTheBear]

https://twitter.com/kristen_shilton/status/1521142395445858304

 

[L K]

Not a terrible trade-off if we have to have someone not ready to go but Kerfoot seemed kind of anemic on the top line compared to Bunting.  I don't think the skillset overlaps as well as I would like.

 

[Frank E]

Pat Quinn!!! 

***GO LEAFS GO***

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Not a terrible trade-off if we have to have someone not ready to go but Kerfoot seemed kind of anemic on the top line compared to Bunting.  I don't think the skillset overlaps as well as I would like.

I mean they only played 1 game together as a full trio and it was against Detroit but I thought he looked pretty good in that one.

 

[BrownRolo]

I have no idea what to expect but I've prepared myself mentally for an embarrassing game 1 home loss.

 

[Zee]

Meh, I used to get worked up and worried right before the playoffs but I'm strangely calm.  So much has happened over the last little while that it's not that big a deal anymore.  Sure I really want the Leafs to win, but I'll get by if they don't.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Meh, I used to get worked up and worried right before the playoffs but I'm strangely calm.  So much has happened over the last little while that it's not that big a deal anymore.  Sure I really want the Leafs to win, but I'll get by if they don't.

I think playing Tampa helps with that. 1) They're obviously a damn good team/franchise and losing to them will be a hell of a lot different than *somehow mimes who they lost to last year* and 2) Tampa isn't exactly a "rival" team like say Boston so there's less of an emotional investment to beating them specifically.

None of that matters though of course because we got this.

 

[Zee]

Meh, I used to get worked up and worried right before the playoffs but I'm strangely calm.  So much has happened over the last little while that it's not that big a deal anymore.  Sure I really want the Leafs to win, but I'll get by if they don't.

I think playing Tampa helps with that. 1) They're obviously a damn good team/franchise and losing to them will be a hell of a lot different than *somehow mimes who they lost to last year* and 2) Tampa isn't exactly a "rival" team like say Boston so there's less of an emotional investment to beating them specifically.

None of that matters though of course because we got this.

That too, but it's more life events that have happened to me that put hockey/sports in perspective.

 

[ZBBM]

Pat Quinn!!! 

***GO LEAFS GO***

Moving type!  So old-school, so wonderful.

Somebody needs to dig out the Dancing Bananas.