Returning to TD Garden for the first time since their Game 7 OT loss last May, the Maple Leafs visit Boston for a HNIC rivalry game between two hungry teams looking to get back on track early in the season (7:00 p.m. EST, Sportsnet/CBC).
The Maple Leafs are expected to make three personnel changes to their lineup from Thursday’s 5-1 defeat to the Blues: Max Pacioretty will return from injury up front in place of Pontus Holmberg, the 6’6 Philippe Myers is expected to make his season/Leafs debut on the blue line in place of Conor Timmins, and Anthony Stolarz returns to the crease.
It’s also anticipated the Leafs will stick with the Rielly-OEL pairing that played together for most of Thursday’s loss to St. Louis. Overall, as the team looks to liven things up offensively, Rielly-OEL gives them a dynamic offensive pairing to pair off with their top lines up front, leaving two other pairings — McCabe-Tanev and Benoit-Myers — that play a more simple, physical, shutdown brand of hockey.
On Boston’s side, they’ve shaken up their line combinations in search of an offensive spark, coming off three straight losses in which they’ve scored just three goals total. Youngster Matthew Poitras will join a line with Brad Marchand and Charlie Coyle, who have just one goal and four assists combined through eight games. Pavel Zacha will shift to the wing next to summer signing Elias Lindholm and David Pastrnak.
In need of a response — particularly from the top line — coming off of two ugly losses to St. Louis and Columbus this week, the Leafs are searching for their first regular-season win in Boston since March of 2022.
Game Day Quotes
Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery on the differences in the Leafs‘ play under Craig Berube:
Watching the tape, you can see the identity of their head coach. It is more direct. They want to be a forechecking team. They want to put you under duress to cause turnovers to cause scoring chances. That is Chief.
Craig Berube on Philippe Myers making his season/Leafs debut:
He came into camp and earned a spot. He played physical. He was good on the penalty kill. He defended very well back there. He is a big guy. It is a simple game, but he is hard to play against. He killed well for us in preseason.
Berube on what Timothy Liljegren needs to do to re-enter the lineup:
It is a bit of a numbers game. I threw him in there for one game, but it is hard with just one game. He has to be patient right now. It is just the way it is.
We make a decision as a staff and an organization about what we feel is best at the time. He is working on his game. He will get another opportunity.
Berube on the challenge at hand tonight:
It will be a hard game, for sure. They will come out hard, as they always do. They are a very good team, and there is a lot of history between these two teams. I expect a hard game from both teams.
Ryan Reaves on the team’s mindset heading into a Saturday night in Boston coming off two tough losses this week:
We feel good. We had a good practice on Friday. It is not the way we wanted to play in front of the hometown against St. Louis, Chief’s old team. It was not a great game in Columbus, either, but you’re going to have those games.
It is a good chance to go out and put a good foot forward against a division rival. It is two teams who don’t like each other. We are going to have to make sure we get up for this one.
Steven Lorentz on the team’s mindset coming off the lopsided losses on Tuesday & Thursday:
We are trying to keep it light. It is a long season. You can’t hit the panic button eight games into the season. A lot is going to happen. It is a new system. It takes time for guys to adjust. We are going through that right now.
We know what we have to do. We just have to do things harder and a little bit faster. If we do that, we’ll be okay.
Berube on the pulse of the team after a tough couple of games:
Their spirit is good. You correct things with video and talks, and then you work on things in practice. The spirit and energy were good in practice. The guys are ready to go tonight.
They are disappointed, too. That is the way it is. Players aren’t happy when they’re not winning or playing well. They understand that.
Montgomery on Matthew Poitras’ opportunity on Brad Marchand’s line:
He continues to make plays. We’re trying to find the right balance on lines, and it’s an opportunity for him.
He’s playing against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He’s from just outside Toronto. It’s a great opportunity.
Everybody who knows him — who has ever been associated with him since he was seven years old in hockey — is going to be watching him play against the Maple Leafs. That’s a great opportunity for him.
Toronto Maple Leafs Projected Lines
Forwards
#23 Matthew Knies — #34 Auston Matthews — #16 Mitch Marner
#74 Bobby McMann — #11 Max Domi — #88 William Nylander
#67 Max Pacioretty — #91 John Tavares — #89 Nick Robertson
#18 Steven Lorentz — #64 David Kampf — #75 Ryan Reaves
Defensemen
#44 Morgan Rielly — #95 Oliver Ekman-Larsson
#22 Jake McCabe — #8 Chris Tanev
#2 Simon Benoit — #51 Philippe Myers
Goaltenders
#41 Anthony Stolarz
#60 Joseph Woll
Extras: Conor Timmins, Timothy Liljegren, Pontus Holmberg
Injured (LTIR): Calle Jarnkrok, Jani Hakanpaa, Connor Dewar, Dakota Mermis
Boston Bruins Projected Lines
Forwards
#18 Pavel Zacha — #28 Elias Lindholm — #88 David Pastrnak
#63 Brad Marchand — #13 Charlie Coyle — #51 Matthew Poitras
#11 Trent Frederic — #39 Morgan Geekie — #55 Justin Brazeau
#19 John Beecher — #47 Mark Kastelic — #45 Cole Koepke
Defensemen
#27 Hampus Lindholm — #25 Brandon Carlo
#6 Mason Lohrei — #73 Charlie McAvoy
#91 Nikita Zadorov — #52 Andrew Peeke
Goaltenders
#1 Jeremy Swayman
#70 Joonas Korpisalo
