The Avs are bringing their big and small guns against the Leafs
Colorado Avalanche @ Toronto Maple Leafs
07:00 PM at Scotiabank Arena
Watch on: TNT, TVAS, SN, SN1
The Leafs last game was at home on March 13 against the Buffalo Sabres, which Toronto lost by a score of 4-3. The Leafs have a record of 40-18-8 so far.
The Colorado Avalanche last played an away game on March 13 against the Montréal Canadiens. The Avalanche won by a score of 8-4, and their current league record is 37-22-6.
Them
This is my best guess for the Avs lines with Artturi Lehkonen out with an injury, Denis Malgin being told he’s promoted to the top-six, and Alex Galchenyuk getting called up and being told he’s going to play.
Jared Bednar post practice here in Toronto says Lehkonen will have surgery tomorrow in Denver at which point the Avs will have a better idea of things. Bednar reiterated 4-6 weeks out is what they’re thinking right now.
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) March 14, 2023
Jared Bednar knows that playing against an old team gives a player extra motivation and energy, and is at the very least a psychological grenade to opposing fans. I’m sure Leafs fans will stay totally level-headed as always.
The Avs have three goalies on their roster so I’m going with the same tandem they had against Montreal.
Lines
Bennett Durando via Daily Faceoff
Evan Rodrigues – Nathan MacKinnon – Mikko Rantanen
Denis Malgin – JT Compher – Valeri Nichushkin
Andrew Cogliano – Lars Eller – Logan O’Connor
Alex Galchenyuk – Alex Newhook – Matthew Nieto
Devon Toews – Cale Makar
Samuel Girard – Bowen Byram
Jack Johnson – Brad Hunt
Alexander Georgiev – projected starter
Jonas Johansson
Us
Luke Schenn skated for the first time (in forever) in Toronto after the birth of his child earlier in the week. He skated with the “return-to-play” trainers and skills coaches before joining the main practice. He skated on the fourth pair and stayed back for extra work after practice so it’s Erik Gustafsson who gets the seventh defenseman jersey.
Given the extra work being put on the ice by Luke Schenn today, he’s not expected to play tonight. @BodogCA @RinkWideTOR
— David Alter (@dalter) March 15, 2023
One change to the Leafs lineup up front, with Alex Kerfoot and Calle Järnkrok getting switched on the first line. Järnkrok has scored three goals in his last five games. Wayne Simmonds was filling in on the third line for practice but will likely be a scratch over one of the defenders above.
Ilya Samsonov returns to the net after falling under the weather for two games. Murray split the games against Edmonton and Buffalo instead.
Ryan O’Reilly skated this morning before practice as he’s still healing from his hand injury. The Leafs expect him back before the playoffs start.
Welcome back, Luke Schenn
First home skate with Leafs since the trade pic.twitter.com/T6rYr1LgA6
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) March 15, 2023
Lines
Calle Järnkrok – Auston Matthews – Mitch Marner
Michael Bunting – John Tavares – William Nylander
Alex Kerfoot – Sam Lafferty
Zach Aston-Reese – David Kämpf – Noel Acciari
Wayne Simmonds, Alex Steeves
Morgan Rielly – TJ Brodie
Mark Giordano – Timothy Liljegren
Jake McCabe – Justin Holl
Erik Gustafsson
Luke Schenn, Conor Timmins
Ilya Samsonov
Matt Murray
The Game
Some pre-game reading and pondering.
“It just felt like something was off.”
What’s been bugging Auston Matthews – and why he’s finally starting to feel like himself again: https://t.co/pAAE4GxuMD
— Jonas Siegel (@jonassiegel) March 15, 2023