Toronto Maple Leafs (27-37-11, 30th in NHL) vs. Florida Panthers (42-24-9, 8th in NHL)
Puck drop: 7:30 p.m. ET
Arena: BB&T Center
Watch: TSN4
Game Day Notes
– Former Leaf Dave Bolland, on injured reserve with a lower body injury, has played just 24 of 75 games this season for the Florida Panthers due to various injuries and healthy scratches. Bolland has averaged 34 appearances a year over his last four seasons.
– Jonathan Bernier starts for the Leafs having allowed two or fewer goals in each of his last five starts. He is 3-2-0 with a .958 save percentage over that span.
– Roberto Luongo starts for the Panthers having won three in a row against the Maple Leafs, allowing just a single goal in each game. He has won 15 of his last 18 against the Leafs dating back to 2010, posting a .921 save percentage over those 33 meetings.
– Mike Babcock was straightforward about William Nylander‘s performance last night in Tampa Bay: “His biggest challenge is he didn’t have the puck enough. Until you learn how to really play hard and compete, and create space when there is no space, you don’t end up with the puck. So that’s part of the process he’s here for.”
Nylander, looking for his first career road point, will face some tough matchups tonight against a Panthers deep that’s replete with young talent down the middle (Barkov, Trochek, Bjugstad).
– Former Leaf Greg McKegg will play his 13th game for the Panthers this season and is seeking his first NHL point. He’s averaged 7:30 TOI/game in his appearances this season.
Who’s Hot
- Ben Smith: 3 points (1g,2a) in last 4 games
- Brooks Laich: 3 points (3a) in last 4 games
Who’s Cold
- Michael Grabner: 0 points in last 5 games
- Rinat Valiev: 0 points in last 9 games
Matchup Stats
| Stat | Tor | Fla |
|---|---|---|
| Points | 65 | 93 |
| Record % | 0.439 | 0.62 |
| Home Winning % | 0.443 | 0.609 |
| Away Winning % | 0.333 | 0.556 |
| Shootout Winning % | 0.5 | 0.7 |
| Goal Differential Per Game | -0.49 | 0.37 |
| Shot Differential Per Game | 0.72 | -1.23 |
| Hits Per Game | 26.8 | 23.9 |
| PIM Per Game | 9.3 | 10.6 |
| Opponent PIM Per Game | 8.8 | 10.7 |
| Goals Per Game | 2.36 | 2.79 |
| Even Strength Goals Per Game | 1.88 | 2.13 |
| Power Play Goals Per Game | 0.47 | 0.59 |
| Shots Per Game | 31 | 28.5 |
| Shots Per Goal | 13.1 | 10.2 |
| Team Shooting % | 7.60% | 9.80% |
| Power Play % | 15.00% | 17.20% |
| Goals Against Per Game | 2.85 | 2.41 |
| ES Goals Against Per Game | 2.09 | 1.73 |
| PP Goals Against Per Game | 0.65 | 0.63 |
| Shots Against Per Game | 30.27 | 29.69 |
| Shots Against Per Goal | 10.62 | 12.3 |
| Opp. Team Shooting % | 9.40% | 8.10% |
| Penalty Kill % | 80.20% | 80.80% |
| Save % | 0.906 | 0.919 |
| Goals Against Average | 2.8 | 2.38 |
| Shutouts | 4 | 4 |
| Opponent Save % | 0.924 | 0.902 |
| Opponent Goals Against Average | 2.33 | 2.75 |
| Opponent Shutouts | 8 | 4 |
Toronto Maple Leafs Projected Lines
Milan Michalek – Nazem Kadri – Michael Grabner
Zach Hyman – William Nylander – PA Parenteau
Brad Boyes – Tyler Bozak – Connor Brown
Colin Greening – Brooks Laich – Ben Smith
Martin Marincin – Morgan Rielly
Jake Gardiner – Connor Carrick
Rinat Valiev – Frank Corrado
Starting Goalie: 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), Byron Froese (hand), Stephane Robidas (knee), Viktor Loov (upper body)
Florida Panthers Projected Lines
Jonathan Huberdeau – Aleksander Barkov – Jaromir Jagr
Jussi Jokinen – Vincent Trocheck – Reilly Smith
Jiri Hudler – Nick Bjugstad – Teddy Purcell
Garrett Wilson – Greg McKegg – Logan Shaw
Brian Campbell – Aaron Ekblad
Dmitry Kulikov – Steve Kampfer
Jakub Kindl – Alex Petrovic
Starting Goalie: Roberto Luongo
Al Montoya
Injured: Dave Bolland (lower body), Derek MacKenzie (foot), Erik Gudbranson (foot), Willie Mitchell (concussion)
Scratched: Quinton Howden, Shawn Thornton
