In their final game before the trade deadline, the Maple Leafs face a stiff test on the road against one of the league’s best home teams (22-6-3), the Vegas Golden Knights (10:00 p.m. EST, TSN4).
Game Day Quotes
Bruce Cassidy on the similarities between the Golden Knights’ last opponent, the New Jersey Devils, and the Maple Leafs:
I think there are some similarities. They have some high-end talent that drives offense. Their bottom of the lineup is more north and south.
Both teams have tried to balance how they play the game in terms of defending and managing the puck versus more of a wide-open style. It is working for both of them. They are both in the playoffs.
It was a 1-0 game against them going into the third period (in Toronto). It was a little tighter-checking than it was years ago.
Cassidy on where his team stands now compared to when it lost in Toronto in November:
Earlier in the year, we did not play well on the road, for whatever reason. We got that squared away a little bit better in the second half of the year. It will be interesting to see how tonight goes.
We are a better team than we were then. They would probably say that, too, because most teams should be getting better. It should be a good contest between two teams who are at the top of their division or near the top. It usually means it’ll be good hockey.
It’s two teams with high expectations and some star power on each side.
Craig Berube on the challenge presented by the Golden Knights:
Very good team off the rush. They are strong and hang onto pucks. They defend well. They have big defensemen. It is a big team, so you are not going to get a lot of room out there. When you get your opportunities, you have to capitalize on them.
At the same time, our biggest job is defending the Golden Knights. They are a dynamic team off the rush. They have a lot of guys who make plays. We have to do a good job off the rush, and we have to do a really good job in our zone of being hard around our net. The wingers have to do a good job; their D shoot a lot of pucks and are good at getting them through.
Auston Matthews on matching up against Jack Eichel:
He is always a challenge. He is big and strong. He hangs onto pucks. He’s very fast. He does everything really well. It is always a challenge against him with his reach and how he is able to separate from guys with his speed and strength.
It is always fun to play against him. He is a great player. I have enjoyed spending time with him and getting to know him when we were younger and then getting to play with him a couple of weeks ago. It’ll be a good challenge.
Steven Lorentz on his return to the lineup:
I am good to go. I just got a little banged up there the other game against New York. I was able to finish, but afterward, it was a bit of a neck-head thing. You don’t really want to mess with that. We thought it was best to take some time and let it heal up. I feel good about it. I’m ready to rock tonight, and I’m excited to get back to it.
Maybe at a different time — in a playoff series — you would’ve battled through it, but you don’t want to mess with things when it is in the head and neck area. Watching is never easy. You want to be in the room with the guys going through the emotions, especially when you have such a great group of guys.
I am excited to get back and contribute tonight.
Matthews on whether he’s hoping to see management add reinforcements before the deadline:
When you look at our division in particular, it is very tight. We know management is going to do the best they can. All we can do is trust in them.
Of course, we’d love to see a boost. With the way we have played this year and the position we are in right now, we feel really confident about our team and our group. This time of year, you see teams adding. You want to add as well.
I am sure management and the staff are doing a lot of thinking and a lot of homework. We’ll leave it in their hands. I am sure they will do what is best for the team.
Berube on Joseph Woll looking for a bounce-back effort after a tough start vs. Pittsburgh last Sunday:
He didn’t look like himself, and he knew that. There are times when you have those games throughout the season. I think it is just one of those games, to be honest with you.
He has done a great job of bouncing back for us this year — both goalies have, in my opinion, and our team in general. It kind of all works together.
Head-to-Head Stats: Maple Leafs (38-20-3) vs. Golden Knights (36-18-6)
In the 2024-25 regular season statistics, Vegas holds the advantage in five out of five offensive categories, but Toronto holds the advantage in three out of five defensive categories.
Toronto Maple Leafs Projected Lines
Forwards
#23 Matthew Knies — #34 Auston Matthews — #16 Mitch Marner
#29 Pontus Holmberg — #91 John Tavares — #88 William Nylander
#74 Bobby McMann — #11 Max Domi — #89 Nick Robertson
#18 Steven Lorentz — #64 David Kampf — #19 Calle Järnkrok
Defensemen
#44 Morgan Rielly — #95 Oliver Ekman-Larsson
#22 Jake McCabe — #51 Philippe Myers
#2 Simon Benoit — #25 Conor Timmins
Goaltenders
Starter: #60 Joseph Woll
#41 Anthony Stolarz
Extras: Dakota Mermis, Ryan Reaves, Connor Dewar
Injured (IR): Max Pacioretty, Chris Tanev
Injured (LTIR): Jani Hakanpää
Vegas Golden Knights Projected Lines
Forwards
#70 Tanner Pearson — #9 Jack Eichel — #61 Mark Stone
#20 Brandon Saad — #48 Tomas Hertl — #16 Pavel Dorofeyev
#49 Ivan Barbashev — #21 Brett Howden — #55 Keegan Kolesar
#95 Victor Olofsson — #10 Nicolas Roy — #36 Raphael Lavoie
Defensemen
#14 Nicolas Hague — #7 Alex Pietrangelo
#15 Noah Hanifin — #2 Zach Whitecloud
#3 Brayden McNabb — #6 Kaedan Korczak
Goaltenders
Starter: #33 Adin Hill
#35 Ilya Samsonov
Injured: William Karlsson, Cole Schwindt, Shea Theodore
