The Toronto Maple Leafs travel down the Gardiner Expressway to visit Jack Eichel and the Buffalo Sabres.
Speaking of the Gardiner Expressway, Jake Gardiner is nursing an injury and will not be available to the Maple Leafs tonight. Martin Marincin will draw back in for Gardiner—a downgrade, to be sure.
While the Maple Leafs have been improving in all areas of their game systemically and generally look like a new team playing in Maple Leafs jerseys, they’ve been shooting at fairly low shooting percentage—unlucky or untalented, you decide—and getting poor goaltending from the starts of games from Bernier.
In any sport, it’s hard to gift a lead and then try and claw your way back into it, which is what has been happening for the Maple Leafs for most of the games that Bernier’s started this year. If they can get the best of Bernier for 60mins, versus 58 minutes, they’re going to be in most the games this year, as the system allows them to be competitive in all three zones.
Buffalo has had some hard luck with their goaltending; expensive trade piece, Robin Lehner, showed up to camp—reportedly—out of shape and then suffered a high-ankle sprain. The Sabres are now trotting out journeyman Chad Johnson as their starter.
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Buffalo Sabres - Head to Head
| Head to Head: | Maple Leafs | Sabres |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 1-3-1 (25th) | 1-4-0 (27th) |
| Goal Differential | -5 (25th) | -5 (27th) |
| GF/G | 2.29 (13th) | 1.05 (27th) |
| GA/G | 2.29 (22nd) | 1.84 (15th) |
| PP | 13.3% (23rd) | 23.8% (8th) |
| PK | 75.0% (24th) | 66.7% (29th) |
| 5v5 SF/G | 32.1 (6th) | 29.6 (12th) |
| 5v5 SA/G | 28.2 (13th) | 24.9 (5th) |
| 5v5 CF% | 52.1 (8th) | 51.8% (12th) |
| 5v5 Sh% | 7.14% (18th) | 4.65% (27th) |
| 5v5 Sv% | 91.89% (22nd) | 92.63% (20th) |
| FO% | 54.6% (1st) | 48.2% (23rd) |
Toronto Maple Leafs Projected Lineup
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Buffalo Sabres Lineup - Oct. 21st, 2015| Left Wing | Center | Right Wing |
|---|---|---|
| van Riemsdyk | Kadri | Komarov |
| Matthias | Holland | Boyes |
| Winnik | Spaling | Lupul |
| Grabner | Arcobello | Parenteau |
| Left Defence | Right Defence | |
| Rielly | Hunwick | |
| Marincin | Phaneuf | |
| Harrington | Polak | |
| Goal: | Bernier |
Buffalo Sabres Projected Lineup
| Left Wing | Center | Right Wing |
|---|---|---|
| Reinhart | O'Reilly | Ennis |
| Kane | Eichel | McGinn |
| Moulson | Girgensons | Gionta |
| Deslauriers | Larsson | Foligno |
| Left Defence | Right Defence | |
| Gorges | Ristolainen | |
| McCabe | Pysyk | |
| Weber | Franson | |
| Goal: | Chad Johnson |
Mike Babcock Pre-Game
