After a relatively quiet first two appearances offensively, Easton Cowan will receive a prime opportunity to make his mark on preseason. He’ll join an “all London Knights” line with Max Domi and Mitch Marner in game three of the exhibition season against Montreal’s B squad (7:00 p.m., Sportsnet/RDS).
Game Day Quotes
Easton Cowan on where he is looking to improve his game tonight:
I feel like I have been playing simply in my defensive zone. I haven’t given up too much. But I am looking to be more offensive tonight and play more free. I just want to play my game with more of a free mindset out there.
I have been trying to adjust [to taking care of my details first] in these first couple of games, and it got to me a bit. I am trying to build on my first couple of games and play a bit more free while balancing those two things.
Just keep moving my feet. I was thinking a little bit too much out there. When I am moving my feet, I am at my best. I am going to try to cause some turnovers tonight and hopefully capitalize on them.
Cowan on the opportunity to play on a line with Mitch Marner and Max Domi:
They are really good playmakers. If I find the open space and have my stick on the ice, they are probably going to find me. I will try my best just to get open and cause some stuff to happen around the net.
Max Pacioretty on playing on John Tavares’ line:
We talked a little bit after the game and before the game. It is a little bit more of that old-school mentality that isn’t really around the league as much as it was when I was playing at my best.
It reminds me a lot of a guy like Mark Stone. I mentioned a guy like Aho — more give-and-go hockey, moving it quickly. [Tavares] is always in the right place at the right time. It is so obvious.
With guys like that, you understand why they are so good, but when you play with them, you understand on a whole new level. Really, during my first shift with him, I realized, “Wow, this guy is always in the right spots.” He works super hard and plays the right way, but his being in the right spots at all times shows why he has had so much success.
Pacioretty on whether a matchup against his former team still brings some extra nerves:
No. There has been a lot of turnover there. I have played a playoff series against them. After that, you are kind of used to it by then.
I know the coach really well, but there are not a lot of guys left on the team. It is just [Brendan Gallagher] left from when I was there.
It is just a normal game for me.
Pacioretty on the areas for improvement over his first preseason game (2g,1a):
Feeling more comfortable with the puck. I had a lot of opportunities to hang onto pucks last game, especially down low in the offensive zone, where I wasn’t able to or kind of forced the play.
My bread and butter is holding onto pucks in the offensive zone and wearing down defensemen. That is an area I definitely want to improve on.
Pacioretty on how his body feels a week into camp:
I feel really good. I knew I was going to feel good, but I didn’t think this good. Coming in for training, the skates have been really, really hard, but the staff here is unlike anything I have seen in terms of the resources for training and recovery.
Again, at my age, you have to take everything into consideration when you are trying to feel as best as you can. This is a great place for that.
They have a guy for everything. It is a luxury to have, especially at my age.
Nick Robertson on the difference when William Nylander plays center instead of the wing:
It maybe gets him more speed because he is lower. He can get the puck first as an F1 in the defensive zone.
With the puck on his stick, obviously, he is dangerous. Maybe an F1 spot at center gets the puck on his stick a little more. We will see how it goes.
Robertson on the areas of emphasis under Craig Berube:
Playing north and playing heavy—that is something we can get better at, myself included. I will continue to work on that and on the things in the defensive zone that are a little different and build confidence in them.
Max Domi on his impressions of Berube and his first training camp so far:
He is the man. Everyone loves him. It is dialed up in terms of intensity. They are not quite as long in terms of the skates, but 45-50 minutes as hard as possible for every rep is how you get into game shape. It is an NHL training camp. It is good to see.
Toronto Maple Leafs Projected Lines
Forwards
#53 Easton Cowan – #11 Max Domi – #16 Mitch Marner
#74 Bobby McMann – #88 William Nylander – #89 Nick Robertson
#67 Max Pacioretty* – #91 John Tavares – #29 Pontus Holmberg
#18 Steven Lorentz* – #64 David Kampf – #75 Ryan Reaves
Defensemen
#44 Morgan Rielly – #8 Chris Tanev
#95 Oliver Ekman-Larson – #22 Jake McCabe
#2 Simon Benoit – #37 Timothy Liljegren
Goaltenders
#41 Anthony Stolarz
#30 Matt Murray
*Playing on a Professional Tryout Agreement
Montreal Canadiens Projected Lines
Forwards
#51 Emil Heineman – #28 Christian Dvorak – #15 Alex Newhook
#89 Joshua Roy – #91 Oliver Kapanen – #40 Joel Armia
#27 Alex Barre-Boulet – #62 Owen Beck – #86 Riley Kidney
#88 Luke Tuch – #74 Brandon Gignac – #55 Michael Pezzetta
Defensemen
#72 Arber Xhekaj – #42 Adam Engström
#48 Lane Hutson – #52 Justin Barron
#47 Jayden Struble – #64 David Reinbacher
Goaltenders
#75 Jakub Dobes
#95 Connor Hughes
