Toronto Maple Leafs Need Line-up Changes For Game 2

The Toronto Maple Leafs have to put Game 1 behind them, move onto Game 2 and in doing so need to make some line-up changes.

Any reader of Editor in Leaf knows that James Tanner is not a fan of Luke Schenn, but I would have him right back in the line-up for Game 2.  In a 7-3 loss, the two-time Stanley Cup Champion was not on ice for any goals against and was on for the only Toronto Maple Leafs 5v5 goal while playing just under 15 minutes.

Timothy Liljegren needs to be back in the line-up, but it would be for another big right-handed shot defenseman and that would be Justin Holl.

Sheldon Keefe’s favorite defenseman was on for six of the seven goals against on the night, albeit it four on the penalty kill, but the lanky defender is just too easy to outmuscle.

Toronto Maple Leafs Need Changes

The first goal of the game saw Holl give a very soft pass to Zach Aston-Reese who would give an unforced turnover.  When the puck came downlow, Holl was unable to block an almost 38-year old Corey Perry from coming out from behind the net to create the scoring opportunity and then let Pierre Edouard Bellemare stand in front of the net with little to no battle from the Leafs defender which resulted in Tampa Bay’s first goal.  That would be just the first of six goals Holl would be on the ice against.

All too often Holl is easily beat in battles in front of the net, causes turnovers in his own end and is seen making bad pinches resulting in odd man rushes.

The second change they need to make is inserting Matthew Knies into the line-up and this may be more of a prayer that the 20-year old can handle the battle of the playoffs.

Going into the series, one of the biggest questions was whether it would be Knies or Aston-Reese in the line-up.

I agree with the decision to leave Knies watching from the press box for the first game, but it may be time to put him in there.  Keefe may be forced to do so, as you can expect the Department of Player Safety to have a long look at Michael Bunting’s match penalty.

Knies appeared to have some chemistry with Ryan O’Reilly and William Nylander, so that is where he should start Game 2.

If that is what Keefe decides to do, he will need to find a spot for John Tavares and you can do one of two things, you can put him on the left side with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner or center the second/third line, whichever you want to call it by putting him between Noel Acciari and Alex Kerfoot, while putting Calle Jarnkrok on the top line.

Line-up Suggestion for Game 2
Jarnkrok-Matthews-Marner
Knies-O’Reilly-Nylander
Kerfoot-Tavares-Acciari
Bunting-Kampf-Lafferty

No matter the changes they make, the team needs to be more disciplined because four of the six penalties called on the Toronto Maple Leafs were deserving.