The Toronto Maple Leafs take on the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night on the road with a share of first place in the Atlantic Division on the line. The Leafs enter the game with 89 points, tied with the Florida Panthers for the top spot.
With a win, the Toronto Maple Leafs will move into sole possession of the top spot in the Atlantic. But more than grabbing hold first place in the Atlantic, the game against Sharks is crucial as a Leafs loss combined with a Tampa Bay Lightning win against the Utah Hockey Club would move the Leafs and Bolts into a tie for first place as the Panthers remain idle.
As it stands, the Panthers and Lightning are on a collision course as the second and third-place teams in the Division. That is why a win against the Sharks would help the Leafs sidestep the carnage that could mean a showdown with Tampa or even Florida in the first round.
It’s worth pointing out that even if the Leafs lost and the Bolts won, the Leafs would be technically in second place as they have more regulation losses than the Bolts. Still, there’s no need for the Leafs to get technical.
The mission is simple: Go out there and win. The Sharks are a non-playoff team at this point. While San Jose would like nothing more than to play the role of spoiler, the fact remains that the Leafs hold their destiny in their hands.
Win and they’re in. Lose and be at the mercy of whatever happens. It’ll be an interesting game, one the Toronto Maple Leafs must put away early.
Toronto Maple Leafs looking to continue rolling following big win against Flyers
The Toronto Maple Leafs will be looking to continue rolling after a big win over the Philadelphia Flyers last Tuesday night at home. John Tavares and WIlliam Nylander scored twice, helping the Leafs secure a 7-2 win.
Also, Bobby McMann hit an important milestone, as he scored his 20th goal of the season. Entering this season, McMann was expected to be a significant bottom-six contributor. Thus far, he's met expectation, potentially topping 25 goals by the time the season ends.
The biggest question mark remains Scott Laughton. He's yet to score for the Leafs since being acquired at the trade deadline. While he could potentially provide a better offensive upside down the stretch, the Leafs will need him to continue playing a solid all-around game. Hopefully, the scoring will follow suit.
On the whole, it’s crunch time for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The club will need to rally as they look to take over the top spot in the Atlantic Division or face the prospect of yet another first-round exit. The last thing the Toronto Maple Leafs can do at this point is feel like they're playing out the string. There's a lot on the line, so it's a good time for the Leafs to play hungry, desperate hockey.