With the series tied at 1-1 following two lopsided games, the series shifts to Tampa as the Maple Leafs look to roll over some momentum from Game 2 in hopes of reclaiming home-ice advantage (7:00 p.m. EST, Sportsnet/CBC).
Entering Game 2, the Leafs had all the pressure in the world facing them. Coming out with a dud performance in Game 1, facing the prospect of going down 0-2 heading back to Tampa, it was pretty close to a must-win game. Furthermore, the Lightning were without Victor Hedman and Erik Cernak on the backend. Everything was in place for a huge bounce-back performance to even the series up — no excuses from the Toronto perspective — and that’s exactly what the Leafs delivered.
The Leafs looked much more like the 111-point team that finished fourth in the league standings. They found their rhythm offensively, stuck to their structure defensively, controlled the neutral zone, and commanded the play at 5v5 in a big way as a result.
All of Toronto’s lines found at least some level of success in Game 2, including a third line that included Matthew Knies’ playoff debut alongside Ryan O’Reilly and Noel Acciari. That line proved very effective on the forecheck, disrupting numerous breakout attempts and turning them into scoring chances.
The Leafs have to be happy with the production they got out of the core in Game 2, but if there is one player still to break out, it would be Auston Matthews, at least in terms of goal production. The other stars have been able to find open looks and capitalize on them, but Matthews has struggled to find many shooting lanes due to the extra attention placed on him. A tough Game 3 matchup on the road is as good of a time as any to break through.
Due to the dominant nature of the Leafs’ win, the lineup is — unsurprisingly — expected to remain the same. What will be interesting to see is how the Lightning adjust and what matchups they try to take advantage of with last change. Tampa Bay has only lost back-to-back games in the playoffs once since 2019, and they have been one of the most dominant home-ice teams in the league this season, even as they have taken a step back overall. This team, and goaltender Andrei Vasilevsky in particular, have a history of elevating their play coming off of a loss.
Game Day Quotes
Zach Aston-Reese on the biggest difference in Game 2:
Our penalty kill was huge for us in the first in not letting their top guys get in the game. After that, I think we just did a good job of being physical and getting in on the forecheck. That was the biggest thing. We were a little bit disconnected in Game 1. We just stuck with that process for a full 60.
Jake McCabe on what it meant for the star players to step up when the Leafs needed them the most in Game 2:
Those guys have been doing it all year, and it was great to see them doing it again (in Game 2). Obviously, they are special players, they drive this team, and the rest of us have been contributing as well. It takes a full four lines, six defense, and a goaltender.
McCabe on Matthew Knies’ playoff debut:
He’s coming in after playing very high-leverage games in college. Obviously it’s a different skillset and different pace, but he doesn’t look out of place by any means. Even in practice trying to take away his time and space down low, he’s real good along the boards, he’s real quick, and he’s obviously a big body, so that suits the program pretty well.
Auston Matthews on the response the Leafs are expecting from Tampa after Game 2:
I mean, you look at last year, and it was kind of similar. Bit of a rollercoaster back and forth, but it’s just a bit of a chess game, I’d say. And like I said, it was a great response from our group (in Game 2). The hardest part is going and doing it again especially against a team like that. You know they are going to be ready to go.
Matthews on William Nylander’s ability to keep goaltenders guessing:
He’s just so good at holding onto the puck and taking what’s given to him. I mean, you look at his goal the first game, and it wasn’t a laser, but I think he realized there was a good screen there, and he just got the puck through. Obviously (in Game 2), he just blew it by. Two different goals. It’s just his skillset that’s impressive to see.
Toronto Maple Leafs Projected Lines
Forwards
#19 Calle Järnkrok – #34 Auston Matthews – #16 Mitch Marner
#15 Alex Kerfoot – #91 John Tavares – #88 William Nylander
#23 Matthew Knies – #90 Ryan O’Reilly – #52 Noel Acciari
#12 Zach Aston-Reese – #64 David Kämpf – #28 Sam Lafferty
Defensemen
#22 Jake McCabe – #78 TJ Brodie
#55 Mark Giordano – #3 Justin Holl
#44 Morgan Rielly – #2 Luke Schenn
Goaltenders
Starter: #35 Ilya Samsonov
#60 Joseph Woll
Scratched: Wayne Simmonds, Timothy Liljegren, Erik Gustafsson, Erik Kallgren
Injured: Matt Murray, Nick Robertson, Jake Muzzin, Victor Mete Suspended: Michael Bunting
Tampa Bay Lightning Projected Lines
Forwards
#91 Steven Stamkos – #21 Brayden Point – #86 Nikita Kucherov
#38 Brandon Hagel – #71 Anthony Cirelli – #17 Alex Killorn
#79 Ross Colton – #20 Nick Paul – #84 Tanner Jeannot
#14 Patrick Maroon – #41 Pierre-Édouard Bellemare – #10 Corey Perry
Defensemen
#77 Victor Hedman* – #48 Nicklaus Perbix
#98 Mikhail Sergachev – #43 Darren Raddysh
#28 Ian Cole – #24 Zach Bogosian
Goaltenders
Starter: #88 Andrei Vasilevskiy
#1 Brian Elliott
*Game Time Decision
Injured: Erik Cernak, Michael Eyssimont
