Could Tuesday night’s tilt in Sunrise prove to be a dress rehearsal for what’s to come when the Stanley Cup Playoffs get underway on Saturday night?
We’re about to find out. The Leafs will play either Florida or the Boston Bruins. The math is simple: If the B’s pick up a point against Ottawa, they’ll clinch the division title. The scoreboard watching will be fun.
Jay Rosehill was back in the mix for the Tuesday edition of Leafs Morning Take. We kicked off the show by discussing Monday night’s wild slate —specifically the games involving the Eastern Conference playoff race. What a crazy comeback by the Red Wings to keep their season alive. Naturally, we discussed whether the NHL should adopt the play-in game format from the NBA. These feel like those type of games anyway, right? After that, we had the Boston/Florida debate. Any way you slice it, the Leafs will be in tough in Round 1. It doesn’t matter who they play.
Presented by DoorDash, the Appetizer focused on some of the news and notes surrounding the team. Max Domi won’t play against the Panthers and is unlikely to play the season finale in Tampa. What does that mean for line assignments? What if Matthews and Marner rip it up over the final two games? Additionally, we talked about the crease and Ilya Samsonov’s recent struggles. If Martin Jones plays against the Bolts, Samsonov, who’s allowed 11 goals over his past two outings, will get a week off over his assumed Game 1 start on Saturday night. Oh, the intrigue. We also discussed the injuries to Bobby McMann and Calle Jarnkrok. Somehow, someway, the conversation always seems to get back to Nick Robertson. He’s a big-time x-factor for this club entering the playoffs.
Courtesy the Wendy’s Daily Faceoff Survivor, we previewed Toronto’s second to last game of the regular season. Once again, they’re in Sunrise to tangle with the Panthers, which could prove to be the location for the postseason opener on Saturday night. Will Auston Matthews pot No. 70? Will both sides look to send a message? Joseph Woll will make his first start in a week. He won in New Jersey last Tuesday night. By the way, the Panthers are expected to dress their full roster —with a division title still on the line. This should be fun.
Coming up on Wednesday (11 AM ET), we’ll recap all the ramifications surrounding the Leafs/Panthers game. Also, we’ll preview the season finale in Tampa. On top of that, ESPN/ABC Analyst and former NHLer Ray Ferraro will drop by to give his thoughts on where the Maple Leafs are at ahead of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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