Toronto Maple Leafs: The 5 Most Important Games of March
It’s March, which means the season is that much closer to wrapping up. And with just 16 games remaining, the Toronto Maple Leafs are still fighting to secure their playoff spot.
It seems like the last few games of the season are always the most important, which makes March a very important month for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Playoff seedings aren’t set yet and many things can still change.
After beating Florida last week, the Toronto Maple Leafs playoff odds took a huge jump, and they are now heavily favored to make the post-season.
In fact, the Panthers are now closer to the Montreal Canadiens than they are to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Leafs haven’t secured their playoff spot yet, unlike recent years, so there’s plenty of crucial wins to be won.
Whether the Leafs fall or rise can be a matter of a few wins or losses, so let’s take a look at five important games on the Leafs schedule this month and why they’re significant.
#1: Mar. 10 vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
The last time the Leafs faced the Lightning was on Tuesday, which the Toronto Maple Leafs won pretty convincingly by a score of 4-2.
A lot has changed in the span of a week.
The Lightning went from being arguably the hottest team in the league to going 1-4-0 in their last five games. They’ve clearly slowed down, and that could continue to happen. After all, their captain, Steven Stamkos, will be out 6-8 weeks after undergoing a core muscle surgery for an injury he sustained on Tuesday against the Leafs.
The Lightning also have a tough schedule coming up, with two upcoming stints against the division-leading Boston Bruins. If they fall to the Bruins either once or twice, they might not be as hot against the Leafs. This is surely a winnable game for Toronto.
But this game is also for-sure watch because of the fact that the Lightning will likely be the Leafs first-round matchup in the playoffs. It will be a preview in a way because the Leafs will have to prove that they can beat them at least twice in a row, let alone a seven game series.
#2: Mar. 14 vs. Boston Bruins
You knew this one was coming. The Toronto Maple Leafs next most important divisional opponent, after the Lightning, are the Boston Bruins.
The Bruins have easily been the Leafs biggest rival the last few years and that doesn’t change whether it’s the playoffs or the regular season.
The Bruins have been able to dominate the Leafs in the playoffs for a few years now, so the Leafs need to show that they can still compete toe-to-toe.
So far in the season series, the Leafs are 1-2 against the Bruins.
This game is the Leafs last matchup with the Bruins, so it’s their only chance to tie it up, If they don’t, the Bruins will have the 3-1 edge in the season series, which you don’t want heading into the playoffs, where it’s still very much a possibility that the Leafs could face the Bruins.
Either way, you’re bound to tune into an entertaining game whenever Toronto faces Boston.
#3: Mar. 19 vs. New York Islanders
Ah yes, the New York Islanders, the team who wants to be the Leafs’ rivals so badly just because they signed John Tavares.
Whether the rivalry is questionable or not, it’s safe to say that this game will be an intense one, most games against the Islanders always are.
The Toronto Maple Leafs and Islanders so far have split the season series with each other with one win each. This game will be the one to take it home.
This game will be extra intense because the Islanders have been a very good team this season and they’re fighting hard for a playoff spot.
They’re currently occupying the first Eastern wild card spot, with only two points separating them from both the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Metropolitan Division’s third spot and the Columbus Blue Jackets in the second wild card spot.
They have a lot on the line, as do the Toronto Maple Leafs, so expect nothing short of a playoff atmosphere.
#4: Mar. 23 vs. Florida Panthers
Leafs fans have been scoreboard watching every Panthers game for the last couple of weeks.
That’s because the Panthers are the one team vying for the Leafs playoff spot right now, sitting five points behind Toronto.
The Leafs have had their struggles against Florida, losing two out of three match-ups so far this season. Not to mention, both losses were brutal, with the Leafs even giving up eight goals in one of them.
Every single match-up has been crucial and every loss has inched the Panthers closer to the Leafs. But when it mattered most, the Leafs were able to defeat them on Thursday.
On Mar. 23, the Panthers could very well be a long way from a playoff spot or just as close as they’ve ever been to the Leafs.
Either way, it’ll be a crucial game for the Leafs to win to cement their spot in the playoffs, so make sure to have this game circled in your calendar.
#5: Mar. 26 vs. Carolina Hurricanes
The last time the Toronto Maple Leafs faced off against the Carolina Hurricanes, the Leafs played one of their most shameful games in recent history.
Carolina had lost both of their goaltenders to injury and were forced to play David Ayres, a 42-year-old emergency back-up goalie.
Despite scoring on their first two shots, the Leafs still unfortunately found a way to lose 6-3, only getting another eight shots on him.
This time, the Leafs will be visiting Carolina looking for revenge.
This game will surely be intense, especially because the Hurricanes are deep in the hunt for a playoff spot as well, sitting just one point behind Columbus for the East’s second wild card spot. Every game matters for them, as they do for the Leafs, so there will be a lot more on the line than usual.
As well, this game will be tough mentally for the Leafs, given the events that took place the last time these two teams met. The Leafs will have to figure out how to overcome this hump and secure the win if they don’t want to continue being ridiculed.
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With that, these are the five most important games of the month of March in my opinion. Let me know in the comments what other games you’ll surely tune in to.