The series is about to get even harder, but sitting in front of the Maple Leafs tonight is an opportunity to push the Cup champs to the brink of elimination (7:00 p.m. EST, Sportsnet/CBC/TNT).
Keys to Game 3
via Anthony Petrielli (@APetrielli)
– With Florida now possessing last change, we’ll see how Paul Maurice shakes up the matchups, if at all. If he tries to free up Aleksander Barkov’s line away from Auston Matthews’ line by using Anton Lundell’s unit in the matchup, the Leafs‘ top line has to make them pay. The Leafs should continue to ride Jake McCabe-Chris Tanev versus the Barkov line.
– The Leafs will need their top power-play unit to break through eventually. The top unit is not moving it fast or direct enough and is not winning any battles, including in the faceoff circle and the front of the net. A big power play night would swing the series drastically.
– The penalty kill has been scored on in both games. They could have blocked shots both times. They need to be a little better in the lanes shorthanded.
– The Leafs have to expect Florida will come out flying, and they may need to weather a storm early on. In particular, against an aggressive forecheck, they will need to break out cleanly to generate some pressure the other way and slow the game down.
– Keep making the Panthers pay in transition, and keep boxing out well in front.
Game Day Podcast
Game Day Quotes
Scott Laughton on the keys to matching the desperation of the Panthers:
We need to be just as desperate. Coming on the road here, they play fast. We are going to have to have a good start, stay composed throughout, stay patient in our game, and find a way.
At this time of year, you have to play desperate or you are chasing the game. Right from the start, we need to push the pace, create, make plays, play them behind them, and make it hard for them to come down the ice with speed and energy.
It is exciting for us, coming here. The guys are excited to go here.
Auston Matthews on the push coming from the Panthers with Florida down 2-0:
I am sure they will be ready to play. They are back on home ice. It is going to be a new level of intensity. We have to match that and exceed it.
Matthew Knies on Craig Berube’s ability to keep the team level-headed and composed so far in the playoffs:
We don’t want to get too high. There is still a lot of hockey left. He is here to win. He is trying to put it on us that it is nice to win — and get the win in round one — but the job is not even close to finished.
We try to keep that mindset, whether it is a practice or a game day. Little things like that are going to help us. He has really molded that mindset into us.
Knies on how the team has put nine past Sergei Bobrovsky through two games, and his role in front of the net:
Our low-to-high plays, races to the net, getting in his eyes, and the second rebounds and third chances are what we are doing well. It is helping us win.
I just try to use my size and take my eyes as much as possible. I can’t use my hands as much — I was told by the ref — so I just have to position myself as well as I can to help the team out there.
Knies on the top line’s success vs. the Barkov line so far:
We have done a great job in our defensive zone, especially on faceoffs. I think we have gotten out of our zone cleanly. We were creating a lot of chances on the rush.
I am playing with two incredible players. They have done a great job of playing defensively and giving me opportunities offensively. I am just going to try to support those guys.
We have done a great job so far, but we have to keep it going.
Craig Berube on what his team expects from the Panthers tonight:
A lot of the same that we’ve seen already. We know how they play. I don’t think they are going to change a whole lot. They’re going to be at home, so it is a bit of a different animal, but we expect a lot of the same.
Paul Maurice on the Panthers’ return home for Game 3:
You always feel good. We have been a good home team. You get a little action around the other team’s net, and the crowd gives you that instant feedback. You start feeling good about where your game is at.
We are not really much of a hard match team and never have been, but the energy from the home crowd is really important at this time of year.
Maurice on the Matthews-Barkov matchup through two games:
I think it has been even. You have two really, really good offensive lines. They’ve played mostly against Matthews. They scored the Tanev goal on one side and the Marner goal from the other side, but to me, that is not a structural thing. It has been even. I have been fine with it.
Maurice on his team’s experience navigating the highs and lows of the playoffs:
We have been through it, so that you have a shared experience. You can draw on it and be specific with it. We were down 2-1 in the Conference Final. We have been around that idea before.
It is not the situation in the series that is really important to understand. It is actually the situation in the game, with the way the game can change.
Tampa took a lead on us; if they win that game, that series is tied. We would’ve gone into their building and won, and they would’ve come into our building and won, potentially. That game changed in 11 seconds at the end of the game, and we walked out with the win.
Understanding that change in momentum is always there for you but is also there for the other team, trying to capture it is critical. You just don’t want to be trying to hit a home run every time you get to the plate.
Toronto Maple Leafs Projected Lines
Forwards
#23 Matthew Knies — #34 Auston Matthews — #16 Mitch Marner
#67 Max Pacioretty — #91 John Tavares — #88 William Nylander
#18 Steven Lorentz — #24 Scott Laughton — #19 Calle Jarnkrok
#74 Bobby McMann — #11 Max Domi — #29 Pontus Holmberg
Defensemen
#22 Jake McCabe — #8 Chris Tanev
#44 Morgan Rielly — #25 Brandon Carlo
#2 Simon Benoit — #95 Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Goaltenders
Starter: #60 Joseph Woll
#35 Dennis Hildeby
Injured: Anthony Stolarz, Matt Murray (sick)
Extras: Nick Robertson, David Kampf, Ryan Reaves, Philippe Myers, Dakota Mermis, Jani Hakanpaa
Florida Panthers Projected Lines
Forwards
#17 Evan Rodrigues — #16 Aleksander Barkov — #13 Sam Reinhart
#23 Carter Verhaeghe — #9 Sam Bennett — #19 Matthew Tkachuk
#27 Eetu Luostarinen — #15 Anton Lundell — #63 Brad Marchand
#10 AJ Greer — #92 Tomas Nosek — #17 Jonah Gadjovich
Defensemen
#42 Gustav Forsling — #5 Aaron Ekblad
#77 Niko Mikkola — #3 Seth Jones
#88 Nate Schmidt — #7 Dmitry Kulikov
Goaltenders
Starter: #72 Sergei Bobrovsky
#41 Vitek Vanecek
