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Toronto Maple Leafs (28-39-11, 29th in NHL) vs. Florida Panthers (44-25-9, 8th in NHL)

Puck drop: 7:30 p.m. ET
Arena: Air Canada Centre
Watch: TSN4


Game Day Notes

Jonathan Bernier will look for his fifth win in his last seven starts tonight, having last won over these same Florida Panthers in a 32-save performance last Tuesday. Bernier has posted a .952 save percentage over his last six starts and a .922 save percentage since January 1st.

James Mirtle wrote a good piece on the curious Garret Sparks situation last night. Sparks has been left to battle in the Leaf crease despite an extended stretch of obvious sub-NHL-quality goaltending, in somewhat of a departure from the patient, protective approach we’ve seen with other prospects in the organization. It’s clear the Leafs are doing a thorough evaluation of the goaltending situation throughout the organization and a decision has to be made on Sparks as to whether he gets one of 50 Standard Player Contracts for next season (at this point, one would guess he will not). Nevertheless, with the option at one time (it has now passed with no more callups available) to send Sparks down to the Marlies and get his confidence back up before the AHL playoffs, it’s hard to figure how his last couple of starts were benefitting anybody at this point other than the Leafs‘ lottery odds.

In his last post-game interview, Sparks certainly came off like a goalie whose confidence is deflated.

Nazem Kadri‘s season is over with the news that he’s been suspended four games for his cross check up high on Luke Glendening on Saturday. It was Kadri’s third suspension since entering the league, all three of which involved hits to the head — the first on goaltender Nick Backstrom back in November, 2014; the second on then-Oiler Matt Fraser in March, 2015.

Reviewing the hit, it appeared Kadri wanted to cross check Glendening in the shoulder and went about it recklessly, his stick to riding up into the neck/head area, but Kadri now has a track record of this kind of reckless play involving high hits. The suspension length seems to reflect that history more than the severity of the incident itself.

The suspension concludes a colourful season for Kadri: Per a tweet from Chris Johnston, Kadri has forfeited nearly $400,000 this season between a repeat-offender suspension, diving fines and the fine for the throat-slashing gesture.

Kadri ends the season with 17 goals and 45 points in 76 games. His eight points in the last six games are likely to make him the team’s points leader for 2015-16 barring a crazy finish from PA Parenteau. In terms of points per game, he ranks third on the team behind James van Riemsdyk (.73) and Tyler Bozak (.64). Kadri also played the toughest role among the team’s regular centers in terms of quality of competition, and earned the praise of Babcock for the evolution of his 200-foot game.

A lightning rod for criticism, a mixed-bag of a season will only fuel further debate about Kadri’s future in Toronto headed into another contract negotiation in the summer. Kadri signed a “show-me” one-year contract last summer after his season ended in the acrimony of a team-issued suspension and a public rebuke from Brendan Shanahan amid the backdrop of Leafs‘ epic collapse in the second half of the season.

Rich Clune has been recalled with Kadri out. Said Babcock: “Part of it’s a reward. He’s been a good pro for us, looked after our kids with the Marlies. Kept the flies off them.”

– After posting a .964 save percentage over his previous five games versus Toronto, the Leafs put four goals past Roberto Luongo on 28 shots last Tuesday. Al Montoya is expected to start for the Panthers tonight. The Leafs put three past Montoya on 15 shots last March, but he’s coming off a win over New Jersey on March 31 and is having the best season of his career with a .923 save percentage over 23 GPI.

– With four games remaining, the Leafs could finish as high as 25th or as low as 30th. They’re currently tied for last in points with 67, but Edmonton has just two games remaining. If both the Oilers and the Leafs were to lose out, the Leafs would finish last and carry the best lottery odds due to the Oilers’ superior regulation-overtime wins total (26 to 22 currently).

– Quote of the day from quote-machine Brooks Laich:


Mike Babcock Game Day


Matchup Stats

Screenshot 2016-04-04 13.32.38

StatFlaTor
Points9767
Record %0.6220.429
Home Winning %0.6140.431
Away Winning %0.5560.333
Shootout Winning %0.70.5
Goal Differential Per Game0.35-0.51
Shot Differential Per Game-0.780.78
Hits Per Game23.626.2
PIM Per Game10.59.3
Opponent PIM Per Game10.59.2
Goals Per Game2.792.35
Even Strength Goals Per Game2.151.83
Power Play Goals Per Game0.580.49
Shots Per Game28.831
Shots Per Goal10.313.2
Team Shooting %9.70%7.60%
Power Play %17.00%15.20%
Goals Against Per Game2.452.86
ES Goals Against Per Game1.732.12
PP Goals Against Per Game0.650.64
Shots Against Per Game29.630.19
Shots Against Per Goal12.0910.56
Opp. Team Shooting %8.30%9.50%
Penalty Kill %80.10%80.40%
Save %0.9170.905
Goals Against Average2.412.81
Shutouts44
Opponent Save %0.9030.924
Opponent Goals Against Average2.762.31
Opponent Shutouts49

Toronto Maple Leafs Projected Lineup

Tobias Lindberg – Tyler Bozak – Kasperi Kapanen
Colin Greening – William Nylander – PA Parenteau
Michael Grabner – Frederik Gauthier – Brooks Laich
Rich Clune – Byron Froese – Brad Boyes

Morgan Rielly – Martin Marincin
Jake Gardiner – Frank Corrado
Andrew Campbell – T.J. Brennan

Starter: Jonathan Bernier
Garret Sparks

Injured: Leo Komarov (lower body), Peter Holland (upper body), Nikita Soshnikov (upper body), Matt Hunwick (sports hernia), James van Riemsdyk (foot), Joffrey Lupul (sports hernia), Stephane Robidas (knee), Viktor Loov (upper body), Milan Michalek (knee)

Panthers team scope (NHL.com): Florida, which was idle Sunday, clinched a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs when the Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Boston Bruins 6-4. The Panthers, who are two points ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning for first place in the Atlantic Division, qualified for the postseason for the fifth time in their history and first time since 2011-12. Florida rallied from a three-goal deficit to defeat the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 on Saturday, setting a team record with its 44th win of the season. The Panthers’ 97 points (44-25-9) are one shy of matching their mark set in 1999-2000.

Maple Leafs team scope (NHL.com): Rookie forward William Nylander had a goal and an assist in Toronto’s 3-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday. Nylander, the No. 8 pick in the 2014 NHL Draft, has nine points (five goals, four assists) in the first 18 games of his NHL career. “William’s definitely getting there,” linemate PA Parenteau told TSN. “He had a little bit of a dip in his play in the last few games maybe, but he’s always going to be dangerous. Every time he gets the puck he’s dangerous because he skates so well with it.”

 

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