Advertisement

Puck Drop: 7:30 p.m.  |  Arena: Air Canada Centre |  TV: Sportsnet  |  Radio: SN 590


Game Day Quotes

Mike Babcock on the challenge against a hot Panthers team fighting for their playoff lives:

This team has played well. They play hard and they have good players. They didn’t get off to the start they probably wanted, but they’ve played well and in their last 20, they’ve been very, very good. Their good players are good, good players. They make it hard on you. It should be a lot of fun. They’re battling for their playoff life. That’s a real hockey game we’re going to play in. I didn’t think we had the intensity we needed last game, even though we had the puck lots and it looked nice at times. We didn’t play hard enough to have success. These guys are going to draw it out of you, and if not, they’re going to beat you.

Babcock on the contributions from the team’s fourth line:

Hopefully, it sends a message that if they play better than you, they play more. It’s unfortunate that they were dash-two the other game. It was no fault of their own. But they played well and they played with good speed and good tenacity and did things right, so that is positive for us.

Babcock on Roberto Luongo, who has had the Leafs‘ number in his last four starts (.961 save percentage):

I’ve had him multiple times. He loves hockey. He’s a really talented guy, obviously. He’s stayed healthy enough to continue to be in the game and play at a high level. The one thing about the game is that as soon as your game is on, we don’t let you play the game anymore. We kick you out. He’s still the starter of a real good team. He’s still good real good [numbers]; I think he’s a .927, or something like that. He’s confident in his abilities. Lou is one of those guys that reads the game exceptionally well. He knows where the puck is coming from before it comes. That has been one of his greatest assets.

Luongo on his ability to perform at a high level still as he closes in on age 39:

The main thing is I feel good when I play games. In between, not so much. But as long as I can take care of my body and know what I need to do to be ready for when the puck drops, that is all that matters. I am always working to improve and better my game. I’m never satisfied with the way I play. I always want to find things that make you better. You just put in the work. Even though I might’ve slowed down over the last couple of years, all in all, technically I am probably the best I’ve ever been. When I’m playing, I feel good.

Frederik Andersen on playing a desperate Panthers team:

This is the time of year when guys are fighting for spots and playing playoff hockey. It’s going to be intense and we’ve got to be able to match that.

 


Matchup Stats

TORFLA
Record45-24-7 (97)39-28-7 (85)
GF/g3.29 (4th)3.01 (13th)
GA/g2.82 (12th)2.99 (19th)
PP%23.7% (3rd)
19.0% (21st)
PK%82.5% (7th)80.9% (13th)
Shots/g32.2 (14th)34.8 (1st)
Shots Against/g33.9 (28th)34.5 (29th)
5v5 CF%49.8% (18th)49.6% (19th)
5v5 SV%.927 (9th).922 (17th)
5v5 SH%9.1% (2nd)7.6% (16th)

Toronto Maple Leafs Projected Lineup

Forwards
Hyman – Matthews – Nylander
(76-14-23-37) – (56-29-24-53) – (76-17-37-54) Total: 60
Marleau – Kadri – Marner
  (76-23-19-43) – (74-30-22-52) – (76-20-45-65) Total: 73
Van Riemsdyk – Bozak – Brown
  (76-34-18-52) – (75-11-30-41) – (76-14-13-27)  Total: 59
Johnsson – Plekanec – Kapanen
 (6-1-0-1) – (72-6-18-24) – (33-7-2-9)  Total: 14

Defencemen
Rielly – Hainsey
 (70-6-42-48) – (74-4-18-22) Total: 10
Gardiner – Zaitsev
 (76-5-40-45) – (54-4-8-12) Total: 9
Dermott – Polak
(33-1-12-13) – (49-2-9-11) Total: 3

Goaltenders
Andersen (.918 sv%)
McElhinney (.935 sv%)

Scratched: Moore, Martin, Leivo
Injured: Komarov


Florida Panthers Projected Lineup

Forwards
Dadonov – Barkov– Bjugstad
(66-24-34-58) – (73-26-49-75) – (74-18-28-46) Total: 68
Huberdeau – Trocheck – Malgin
  (74-23-42-65) – (74-30-39-69) – (47-11-8-19) Total: 64
McGinn – McCann – Mamin
  (68-12-13-25) – (60-8-15-23) – (20-2-1-3)  Total: 22
Sceviour – Mackenzie – Vatrano
 (68-9-10-19) – (69-3-11-14) – (9-3-1-4)  Total: 15

Defencemen
Yandle – Ekblad
 (74-8-44-52) – (74-15-18-33) Total: 23
Matheson – Pysyk
 (73-10-16-26) – (74-3-12-15) Total: 13
Weegar – Petrovic
(52-1-5-6) – (60-1-10-11) Total: 2

Goaltenders
Luongo (.927 sv%)
Reimer (.914 sv%)