GAMEDAY: Maple Leafs return to Sunshine State intending to extend streak
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WHEN
Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.
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GAMEDAY: Maple Leafs return to Sunshine State intending to extend streak Back to video
TV: Sportsnet, RADIO: FAN 590
ODDS
Florida –130, Toronto +110
THE BUZZ
Florida’s Stanley Cup hangover might be kicking in a bit as it has lost six of the past seven. The Leafs have won seven of eight, almost all of those without several key forwards who are injured or suspended … Anthony Stolarz is expected to get the start in net, having gone from a useful back-up with the Cup champion Panthers to the No. 1 spot with the Leafs and a league-best .927 save percentage to start the week. He’ll face old stablemate Sergei Bobrovsky … Panthers’ coach Paul Maurice was quite vocal at Tuesday’s practice. “That’s what we need right now,” said forward Gustav Forsling. “We have to bounce back” … Maurice acknowledged after a 4-1 loss to Washington “a piece of our game is missing” … Defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson and winger Steven Lorentz also return, to collect their 2024 Stanley Cup rings and try and contain what will be an ornery Florida team … “OEL was a really nice guy, a really good friend, I miss him,” Forsling said “The (ex-Panthers) were big”… Toronto can open a five-point lead on the Cats for the division lead with a regulation win.
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THE NEWS
Matthews (upper body) won’t play, having had just one full team practice since missing the past 24 days, during which the Leafs simplified their game and played great 5-on-5 hockey… He and winger Matthew Knies are more likely to play Saturday against Tampa Bay as Knies comes back from his own upper body injury … While the Leafs have been near the top of the league’s vital faceoff win percentage, Florida is labouring at 47.4 per cent, worst in the Eastern Conference before Wednesday.
THE QUOTE
“We need to have our best foot forward. I’m sure it’s going to mean a lot for the (ex-Panthers) to see that Cup banner. They worked extremely hard for that.” – Mitch Marner
THE PROJECTED LEAFS LINEUP
Forwards
Bobby McMann John Tavares Mitch Marner
Nick Robertson Pontus Holmberg William Nylander
Nikita Grebenkin Fraser Minten Alex Nylander
Alex Steeves Connor Dewar Steven Lorentz
Defence
Morgan Rielly-Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Jake McCabe-Chris Tanev
Simon Benoit-Conor Timmins
Goal
Anthony Stolarz
Joseph Woll
The Injuries
Toronto: Matthews (upper body), Knies (upper body), LW Max Pacioretty (leg), F/LW Max Domi (lower body) C David Kampf (lower body), F Calle Jarnkrok (groin), RW Ryan Reaves (suspended).
Florida: LW Jonah Gadjovich (upper body) day-to-day.
The prediction:
A good night for Florida to show its true colours, 4-3 Panthers.
X: @sunhornby
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