GAMEDAY: Maple Leafs can't let Avs off the hook again in major test
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Colorado Avalanche at Toronto Maple Leafs
WHEN: Wednesday, 7 p.m.
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GAMEDAY: Maple Leafs can't let Avs off the hook again in major test Back to video
TV: Sportsnet RADIO: TSN 1050
ODDS: Toronto –265, Colorado +190
THE BUZZ
Toronto let a late lead slip away in 7-4 loss in Denver on March 8 … Colorado, starting a three-game Eastern Canadian road trip, is the only above – .500 team Leafs will face between this past Monday’s win over Calgary up to next Saturday in Los Angeles … As much as this game is seen as an Auston Matthews – Nathan McKinnon test, their fourth counting two in the 4 Nations Face-Off, Leafs should watch for Valeri Nichushkin, who had a hat trick in the last meeting … Colorado defeated former teammate Mikko Rantanen and the Dallas Stars as well as Calgary in its past two games, though a first-round series against the Stars is looming. In their past 10, Colorado is 8-1-1 outscoring foes 41-20, including 10 on the power play … D Cale Makar had three points against the Stars … Leafs defenceman Brandon Carlo, a native of Colorado Springs, should be much better prepared for this match after flying cross country from Boston to make his Toronto debut after the trade deadline.
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THE NEWS
Av’s captain Gabriel Landeskog recently completed a full practice for almost two years since knee cartilage surgery … The Leafs reached 40 wins this week, making Craig Berube the second coach in club history with that many the year after his predecessor (Sheldon Keefe had won 40-plus three times) … Anthony Stolarz likely gets the start in net for Toronto … Toronto’s three power play goals on Monday against Calgary tied its season high for a game … Leaf winger William Nylander is one point shy of 600 in his career … The Leafs just announced a significant rise in regular season and playoff ticket prices, so a flat effort won’t go down well in the stands.
THE QUOTE
“I think he’s grabbed a hold of the room. He saw what’s going on here is not good enough. He led the way with the work and the compete.” – Berube on Matthews’ effort on Monday.
THE PROJECTED LEAFS LINEUP
Matthew Knies/Auston Matthews/Mitch Marner
Pontus Holmberg/John Tavares/William Nylander
Bobby McMann/Max Domi/Nick Robertson
Steven Lorentz/Scott Laughton/Calle Jarnkrok
Defence
Jake McCabe/Chris Tanev
Morgan Rielly/Brandon Carlo
Simon Benoit/Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Goalies
Anthony Stolarz
Joseph Woll
Injuries
Toronto: LW Max Pacioretty (lower body), D Jani Hakanpaa (knee).
Colorado: D Josh Manson (knee).
THE PREDICTION
3-2 Leafs – if they can stay out of the box.
X: @sunhornby
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