For the latest Leafs updates or Follow @mikeinbuffalo on Twitter
The Toronto Maple Leafs hope to bounce back from their first loss of the season, as they take on the St. Louis Blues at Scotiabank Arena on Monday. The Leafs showed some fatigue and made critical errors in their third game in four nights, blowing a 4-1 lead in a 6-5 shootout loss to Montreal on Saturday, but hope to put forth a better effort against the Stanley Cup champions.
“We are excited to play (the Blues), they beat us twice last year, and both times they handled us. We weren’t handled by many teams last year.… Head coach Mike Babcock said after the morning skate. “(St. Louis) has a maturity level in their group, good veteran leadership, they take care of the puck. They play right, they’re above you, if you want to turn the puck over, they attack.…
Toronto had difficulty dealing with that heavy brand of hockey on Saturday, as Montreal’s defense laid into John Tavares and Mitch Marner, and will have to dictate the pace against the club that beat Boston in the Cup Final four months at their own game, playing a physical brand of hockey.
Babcock chose not to make any line changes in the wake of a bad performance from Kasperi Kapanen on Saturday, keeping the winger on his off side with Tavares and Marner, but will continue his rotation of fourth liners and bottom pair blueliners for the fourth straight game.
Frederik Gauthier will play with Nic Petan and Jason Spezza, while rookie Rasmus Sandin will partner with Justin Holl. Frederik Andersen, who played and won in the first half of back-to-back games in Columbus on Friday, will make his third start of the season, while the Blues will go with Jordan Binnington.
*******
The hot start of Auston Matthews has put his off-the-ice troubles on the back burner, as the 22-year-old was named the NHL’s Third Star of the Week. Matthews scored five goals in the Leafs first three games, including a pair in the opening night win over Ottawa, and the game tying goal against the Habs with 1:15 left in regulation on Saturday. The former Calder Trophy winner and 2016 top pick became the fourth player in NHL history to collect at least one goal in each of his first four career season openers (9-2-11 in 4 GP)
Detroit’s Anthony Mantha was named Second Star of the Week on the strength of his seven points (5 goals, 2 assists) in two games, including a four-goal effort against Dallas on Sunday.
New York’s Mika Zibanejad was named First Star of the Week and leads the NHL in scoring with eight points (4 goals, 4 assists) in two games.
*******
New Pod. Enjoy. #TheLeafsConvo #TMLTalk @MikeInBuffalo https://t.co/RcX1ntAQte
— Norman James (@IamNormanJames) October 6, 2019
*******If you are interested in sponsorship or advertising your business in the Greater Toronto / Southern Ontario area on this column, please send a message for more information by clicking on the “Contact… button at the top of the page.*******