The Toronto Maple Leafs Finish off the Year vs the Avalanche

The Toronto Maple Leafs will close out a very successful 2022 against the Stanley Cup Champs, the Colorado Avalanche.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are coming off a disappointing result in Phoenix, but they actually played a very good game on Tuesday and were just unlucky.

I would expect them to rebound tonight with a solid effort.

The Leafs have played nine games in a row with an expected goals percentage over 57%, which is a very strong run.

They have lost three of these games, but the fact that they are coming out and playing solid, structured, well-disciplined hockey every single time out is much more important than short-term results.

Toronto Maple Leafs vs the Avalanche

The Avalanche are somehow third in their division, but lucky for them it’s basically two paper tigers ahead of them.  Far cry from the Leafs who have to win the President’s Trophy to avoid playing Tampa in the first round.

Colorado will perhaps be getting Nathan MacKinnon back tonight, the ex-third best player in the NHL (now passed easily by Mitch Marner and Cale Makar) has been out four weeks.  The Avs have had their own injury troubles, though nothing like what the Leafs have faced.

While MacKinnon may or may not be back, the Avs are without Gabriel Landeskog and Bowen Byram and Valerie Nichushkin.  They are also without Josh Manson, but he’s pretty overrated.  In reality it’s like Jordie Benn being injured on the Leafs – no big deal.

The Leafs and Avalanche are yet to play this season.

Both teams are coming off of a loss, though the Avs lost their last game in OT.

Alexandar Georgiev will go for the Avs. Back in his New York days he would routinely goalie the Leafs, but it’s probably good that they are facing him, since he’d due to let in some goals against them.

The Leafs will counter with Matt Murray, most likely, though it is not confirmed.  Though no lineup has officially been announced, the Leafs are expected to dress the same lineup as they did against Phoenix.

That means Rielly is going to be with Liljegren, and that the Leafs new top pairing is exciting and dynamic.  Holl and Gio will still get some tough minutes, while Brodie and Timmins has turned into a pretty preposterous third pairing.

Dryden Hunt will play again, and Sandin remains on the IR.   I suspect Auston Matthews will finally have that hattrick we’ve been hoping for!

After this game, the Toronto Maple Leafs will play St. Louis again on Tuesday.  Happy New Years everyone.