The Maple Leafs are looking to extend their seven-game points streak as they return home to host the 28th-place Columbus Blue Jackets at Scotiabank Arena (7:00 p.m. EST, Sportsnet Ontario).
At this time last year, the divisional race felt over already, and it was trending in a similar direction over the first six weeks of the 2023-24 schedule. But the Maple Leafs‘ strong run of form and the Bruins somewhat returning to earth (5-4-1 L10) has Toronto five points back of the division lead with a game in hand. A stepping stone for the Leafs toward that end is proving they can take advantage of the bottom feeders and not fall into traps.
And if there ever was a trap game on paper, this is it. The Leafs are returning from the high of a big “dads trip” win at MSG in a tough situation (tired in a b2b vs. a rested opponent, flu bug going around the room). They’re playing their fourth game in the last six nights. Toronto’s points streak has now hit seven games. Columbus has won all of two games on the road in 13 attempts, and they have an injury list as long as your arm (see lineups below).
The Blue Jackets’ offensive numbers are nothing to shake a stick at, though, so if the Leafs overlook this game or get sloppy, Columbus does have enough offensive skill spread over their four lines to make a team pay for it.
In terms of lineup notes, Matthew Knies is still recovering from illness and is not expected to play, with Noah Gregor remaining on the top line for the second consecutive game. It is expected the Leafs will return to 12 and 6 with both Bobby McMann and Ryan Reaves in the lineup on the fourth line with David Kampf.
Ilya Samsonov will start in goal looking to build on his most recent start at home, an 18-save shutout over the Nashville Predators.
The Scotiabank Arena was a sanctuary for Samsnov last season with a 19-3-3 record and a .927 save percentage, and the Leafs have so far won all five of Samsonov’s home games this season, even the one where he was pulled early against Tampa. Win/loss results aside, Samsonov has a paltry .874 save percentage on home ice, so hopefully, the Predators win last Saturday followed by a decent enough showing on Long Island can be a launching pad for him as he looks to get his season on track.
With as many as three back-to-backs on the calendar before Joseph Woll will be ready to return, the Leafs are going to need both Samsonov and Martin Jones to provide competent netminding during the next stretch of the schedule through the holidays and into the new year.
Game Day Quotes
Sheldon Keefe on the challenge presented by the Blue Jackets:
A young team with lots of skill through their lineup. They are in the top third in the league in producing offense. That would be the challenge.
The biggest challenge for us is our game coming back home here. It was a good little segment. The schedule started to heat up for us, and I thought we managed that well on the road, starting with a good home game against Nashville. Now, it is about coming back from the road with the same type of attitude and mindset as we had in the Nashville game. That is what my focus is on.
Keefe on Adam Fantilli’s game:
Just from watching him a bit on video and in the highlights — and I saw him in Traverse City as well — he has tremendous skill and creativity. They have a few guys like that — some of the older guys, some of the younger guys. Good size. Good on the puck.
He is another example of what I am talking about. They have a lot of guys who make plays. Given time and space, they’re going to be real creative with it. That is something to manage.
Exciting young player for sure.
Noah Gregor on the key factors in the team’s impressive win over the Rangers:
I think we were just playing the right way. We were playing fast. We were closing quickly. We capitalized on our chances.
Some of the plays these guys are making are some high-level players that they’re able to score on.
Our power-play did a good job to get us a quick one and give us that two-goal lead back. We closed it down pretty well in the third.
Gregor on the uptick in ice time as he fills in for Matthew Knies on the top line:
It was a lot different than the first 25 games there. You try to keep your shifts short and get your rest when you can. I want to play as much as I can. I’ll gladly take that extra ice time.
Head-to-Head Stats: Maple Leafs vs. Blue Jackets
Toronto Maple Leafs Projected Lines
Forwards
#18 Noah Gregor – #34 Auston Matthews – #88 William Nylander
#59 Tyler Bertuzzi – #91 John Tavares – #16 Mitch Marner
#89 Nick Robertson – #11 Max Domi – #19 Calle Jarnkrok
#74 Bobby McMann – #64 David Kampf – #75 Ryan Reaves
Defensemen
#44 Morgan Rielly – #78 TJ Brodie
#85 William Lagesson – #22 Jake McCabe
#2 Simon Benoit – #25 Conor Timmins
Goaltenders
Starter: #30 Ilya Samsonov
#31 Martin Jones
Scratched: Max Lajoie
Injured/Out: Matthew Knies, Joseph Woll, John Klingberg, Timothy Liljegren, Mark Giordano
Columbus Blue Jackets Projected Lines
Forwards
#13 Johnny Gaudreau – #11 Adam Fantilli – #17 Justin Danforth
#59 Yegor Chinakhov – #10 Dmitri Voronkov – #86 Kirill Marchenko
#29 Patrik Laine – #4 Cole Sillinger – #91 Kent Johnson
#42 Alexandre Texier – #7 Sean Kuraly – #52 Emil Bemstrom
Defensemen
#8 Zach Werenski – #77 Nick Blankenburg
#9 Ivan Provorov – #55 David Jiricek
#22 Jake Bean – #2 Andrew Peeke
Goaltenders
Starter: #90 Elvis Merzlikins
#30 Spencer Martin
Injured/Out: Damon Severson, Adam Boqvist, Jack Roslovic, Boone Jenner, , Erik Gudbranson
