The Toronto Maple Leafs will take on the Flames in Calgary tonight.
For the Toronto Maple Leafs, it will be the start of a three game Western Canada road swing, that will see them also face Edmonton on Thursday and the Canucks on Saturday. After that, they’re off until next Wednesday when they will host the Flames at home.
Tonight’s game will feature Roman Polak (Yikes!) and William Nylander will start on the fourth line. As per Mark Masters, here’s your lines:
Leafs lines at morning skate
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) November 28, 2017
Hyman-Matthews-Brown
Marleau-Kadri-Komarov
JvR-Bozak-Marner
Martin-Moore-Nylander
Leivo, Soshnikov
Rielly-Hainsey
Gardiner-Zaitsev
Borgman-Polak
Carrick
Andersen starts
What I like about this is that Connor Brown gets a shot at the first line. He seemed to do very well when Babcock went with that line on Saturday, so I will be looking for a big night from both Matthews and Brown. I don’t like seeing Nylander so low, but it won’t last so no big deal. I do with the Leafs would play Soshnikov and Leivo over Matt Martin and Dominic Moore, but so far, they don’t let me decide.
I do also feel like it’s worth mentioning again: Connor Carrick is about ten times the player Roman Polak is, and I feel they should really put him back together with Gardiner, a pairing that helps both players.
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Goalies
Tonight’s goalies will be Freddie Andersen (obviously, since it’s not a back to back) vs Mike Smith. Smith, who is damn near 100 years-old, has been rejuvenated in Calgary. Although, last year he actually had a great year, it just didn’t get noticed because the Coyotes were so terrible. If anything, Smith prevented the Coyotes from drafting first overall with his excellent work, when not injured.
The Flames, who, like the Leafs, have one of the NHL’s better rosters, currently sit in third in the Pacific. Their 13-9-1 record is very similar to the Leafs 15-9-1 record. Both teams are Cup Contenders, in my opinion.
The main factor in preventing a Leafs win tonight will be Johnny Gaudreau. He is having quite the year, with 11 goals and 34 points in 24 games to date. He is second in NHL scoring.
The highest ranking Leafs is Auston Matthews who has 23 points in 20 games. Although to be fair to Matthews, it seems like he’d have more points if he didn’t miss four games and if either of his most common wingers (or their replacements) could find the back of the net.
A west coast trip is always enjoyable, but be sure to get an afternoon nap in so that you don’t fall asleep at work tomorrow. Should be a good game.
Thanks for reading.