You have to figure the Maple Leafs are going to be a little tight having lost four of five at home, all handily, and having to now enter a game that is a ‘should win’ versus the worst team in the League.
Fan patience in the ACC tonight will be even shorter than usual. It’s only 9 games in, but the Leafs need this one.
Joffrey Lupul on fans: "It's a new year but they're kind of seeing, in their minds, the same old thing…I understand that frustration."
— Jonas Siegel (@jonassiegel) October 28, 2014
From James Mirtle today, who wrote on the Sabres’ rebuild plans versus the Leafs’ less-than-clear current blueprint.
[quote_box_center]These Sabres aren’t merely bad; they’re historically bad, scoring only 1.1 goals per game, being outshot by 13.6 a night and on pace for a season that’s somehow worse than a year ago, when they finished last in the league by 14 points.[/quote_box_center]
It has been a long, long time since Tyler Bozak and Phil Kessel have both been healthy and in the lineup without the former centering the latter. There has been a whole new set of practice lines for two days in a row now, and it appears the Leafs will break up the top line to start. Early struggles may see the top line back together in short order — they’re remaining together on the powerplay — but the coaching staff would be wise to give this some time and see how it fares.
Jonathan Bernier will start for the Maple Leafs in what is a clear indication that, despite early-season numbers, the coaching staff believes they have a better chance at winning games over the course of the season if they get Bernier back to playing at the top of his game. That’s not happened so far outside of the win versus the Islanders, and even then Bernier probably would’ve liked the Nick Leddy goal back. James Reimer is sitting at .914 to Bernier’s .904 and looked good in relief of Bernier after the pull versus the Bruins, but it seems like he’ll have to wait for the weekend back to back for his next crack at the net.
Projected Lines
SABRES
Matt Moulson – Tyler Ennis – Chris Stewart
Cody Hodgson – Torrey Mitchell – Drew Stafford
Marcus Foligno – Zemgus Girgensons – Brian Gionta
Nicolas Deslauriers – Sam Reinhart – Cody McCormick
Josh Gorges – Tyler Myers
Mike Weber – Andrej Meszaros
Andre Benoit – Rasmus Ristolainen
Michal Neuvirth
Jhonas Enroth
Scratched: Nikita Zadorov, Tyson Strachan, Brian Flynn
Injured: Patrick Kaleta (upper body)
Joffrey Lupul – Nazem Kadri – Phil Kessel
James van Riemsdyk – Tyler Bozak – David Clarkson
Daniel Winnik – Mike Santorelli – Leo Komarov
Richard Panik – Peter Holland – Matt Frattin
Dion Phaneuf – Cody Franson
Stephane Robidas – Jake Gardiner
Morgan Rielly – Roman Polak
Jonathan Bernier
James Reimer
Scratched: Carter Ashton
Injured: David Booth (foot)
