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The contest between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Colorado Avalanche have a number of storylines. It is the first matchup between Nazem Kadri and the club that drafted him in 2009, it is also the second game with Sheldon Keefe behind the bench.
The Leafs are looking for their second straight win after ending a six-game losing streak in Arizona and will make only one lineup change, with Nick Shore replacing Nic Petan.
Will be doing a live blog throughout the game.....
7:22p - Leafs give up the opening goal 31 seconds in....MacKinnon on a long shot. 19th game in 25 that Toronto gives up the opening goal.
7:40p - Good cycle and pinching by the Leafs blueliners, Pierre Engvall's shot deflected by Colorado native Nick Shore tips it by Grubauer to tie it 1-1. Auston Matthews scores his 16th of the season 67 seconds later to put Toronto in the lead. After scoring only one goal on the road all season, Matthews now has tallies in consecutive games.
7:45p - Barrie makes it 3-1 on the PP. Question....would we have ever seen him on the first PP under Babcock. Would we ever have seen a defenseman in front of the net on any Leafs man advantage??
7:55p - The fact that Jason Spezza was a healthy scratch for 10 games is the last example of Mike Babcock's power play when it came to the roster. Spezza sends Kasperi Kapanen on a breakaway to make it 4-1.
8:27p - Doesn't it look weird to see Nazem Kadri in a Avs jersey?? Even though Barrie has been a disappointment until recently, I still believe that deal was good for both teams. Barrie is likely a extended one-year rental, but Kerfoot is an adequate third line replacement at center (I know...he's playing the wing right now).
8:32p - Colorado draws closer, Andre Burakovsky scores on the man advantage to make it 4-2, Kadri with an assist. Leafs need some serious revamping on the penalty kill, it continues to be a big problem.
8:46p - Alex Kerfoot with a careless cross check on Eric Johnson gives the Avs another PP. Colorado is outshooting Toronto 12-3 in the second. A bit early to be going into a defensive shell.
9:18p - After the first period, the Leafs have been outshot 20-6. After some buzzing around the Toronto zone, Valeri Nichushkin beats Andersen to make it 4-3.
9:41p - Can I use the tired "holding on by their fingernails" phrase right now....because the Leafs are totally defensive right now and content to ice the puck. 3:35 left in regulation and Toronto is holding on to a 4-3 lead.
9:49p - Toronto holds on for a 5-3 win, thanks to a Zach Hyman empty netter with time running out. That's a 2-0 record for Sheldon Keefe.
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We’re up.
— The Leafs Convo (@TheLeafsConvo) November 17, 2019
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