Game 29 brings the Toronto Maple Leafs back to Scotiabank Arena for a pivotal Atlantic Division showdown with the Tampa Bay Lightning, and the standings pressure couldn’t be tighter. With Auston Matthews, William Nylander, John Tavares, and Matthew Knies tasked with generating more top-end scoring punch, Toronto chases critical separation in a four-point swing night against Andrei Vasilevskiy / Jonas Johansson and a battle-tested Lightning group.
Injury watch remains front-and-center: Joseph Woll is still unavailable, meaning Dennis Hildeby gets the crease — while Chris Tanev and Marshall Rifai re-entered in regular contact jerseys for the first time, raising optimism for a return timeline. Oliver Ekman-Larsson continues to be a stabilizer on the back end, while lineup tweaks see Nic Robertson scratched, Calle Järnkrok entering, and Easton Cowan remaining elevated alongside Tavares/Nylander.
Power-play frustration peaks tonight as Morgan Rielly returns to PP1 over Ekman-Larsson — a move lighting immediate debate after weeks of stagnation, bumper switches, and failed net-front rhythm once again tested vs Tampa’s disciplined PK.
Chapters:
00:00 Atlantic standings pressure & four-point stakes
01:20 Lightning scouting report: Johansson/Vasilevskiy expectation
02:10 Goalie update: Dennis Hildeby starts, no Woll
03:15 Chris Tanev & Rifai return status (full contact)
04:00 Line combos confirmed via DFO preview
05:25 Matthews’ impact expectations, scoring drought concerns
06:40 Cowan stays in top-six – development vs deployment
08:15 Robertson out / Järnkrok in decision
09:40 Blue line: Ekman-Larsson/Rielly pairing thoughts
11:10 Third-pair struggles & why the reset was needed
12:00 Power-play meltdown & Rielly returns to PP1
14:45 Net-front debate: Knies vs Cowan usage
16:20 PP2 expectations and zone-time reliability
17:50 Goaltending confirmation for Tampa
19:20 Best Bet segment
21:05 Post-game coverage details & After Dark call-in show
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7 Comments
I agree with you
Matthews is probably playing with a chronic back problem. Injury or not, this guy is just not happy here. You can see it in his body language and hear it in his voice. Its just dragging the team down, seriously whenever they get the chance to move him they should. Take a hard look at your roster and find another captain. This team needs to move on.
reilly better in pwhl
Berube is so anxious and quick to go to the blender when it's 5v5 but won't do shit about PP?
The PP has sucked for years but they scored enough 5v5 to make up for it, this year it's actually killing us. I'm certain Leafs would be in a playoff spot rn if ww had a decent PP!
Not only are we back to Rielly on PP1, but Berube wants to load it up with Matthews, Knies and JT. Their best 2 net front guys and their best 2 faceoff winners all on PP1.. while the 2nd unit is left with nothing. Bare minimum JT should be moved to PP2 to win faceoffs and netfront. Spread out the talent and make the powerplays compete for ice time with 1 min each.
Yarncrock anytime goal I have place bets on guys who come back from a scratch and done very well
I think its pretty apparent that machellie is getting traded.