#CSP #NHL #LEAFSNATION
One team will end tonight’s game one win away from the Conference Finals after a pivotal Game 5 between the Maple Leafs and Panthers at Scotiabank Arena
Keys to Game 5
– The series is tied 2-2, and the Maple Leafs hold home-ice advantage still. It feels like some in the Toronto market need to remember that. The champs weren’t going to go down easy, and the Leafs are still in a decent position, so it’s time to get over it and move on.
– The Leafs are losing the special-teams battle so far. The power play is at 13.3% and the penalty kill sits at 78.6%, compared to 21.4% and 86.7%, respectively, for Florida. The Leafs‘ top power-play unit has scored one goal in four games and is starting to verge on conceding more chances than it is creating. The top unit needs to outwork the Panthers’ PK, play with urgency, and work it down low.
– In the last two games, Florida has won 60+% of battles, which might be generous to the Leafs. The coach can’t draw how to win battles on a whiteboard. The Leafs must dig in (especially at their own blue line), try to re-establish forecheck early, and get the crowd into it.
– Lineup changes should be seriously considered (Kampf/Robertson), and Craig Berube should reassert Matthews vs. Barkov at home. More importantly, the Panthers are selling out on shutting down William Nylander, who is drawing the Gustav Forsling match now. More than anything, this is why the Matthews-Marner line needs to deliver offensively.
– Beyond the scrutiny are #34 and #16 are receiving, five regular Leafs forwards haven’t scored a goal yet this playoffs. Toronto can’t have half their forward group producing nothing. The coaching staff needs to work the bottom-six matchups to try to squeeze something out of them offensively.
– Drive the net harder, and get to Sergei Bobrovsky.
Toronto Maple Leafs Projected Lines***
***Lineup changes are expected but won’t be known until close to puck drop due to the optional morning skate and lack of update from Craig Berube
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
#30 Matt Murray
Injured: Anthony Stolarz
Extras: Nick Robertson, David Kampf, Ryan Reaves, Philippe Myers, Dakota Mermis, Jani Hakanpaa, Dennis Hildeby
Florida Panthers Projected Lines
Forwards
#70 Jesper Boqvist — #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
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