Leafs face key game going into Beantown
Curtis McElhinney figures his Maple Leafs teammates are on to something.
“I’d like to say we’re hitting our stride and doing things the way we want to be doing them, and that’s critical after all the breaks we had in January,” the backup goaltender said.
“We have been able to put some youth in the lineup and I have not really noticed ( a regression in the Leafs’ play).”
The Leafs’ four-game winning streak is their secondlongest of the season after they won six in a row in November, and they have recorded shutouts in consecutive games for the second time this season. Now, the Leafs take aim at the team directly ahead of them in the Atlantic Division standings. The third-place Leafs (30-185) trail the Bruins ( 30-11- 8) by three points heading into Saturday’s game in Boston. The Bruins have four games in hand.
As much as Auston Matthews has been able to create offence despite often facing the opposition’s top centre this season, the wily Patrice Bergeron brings a different element. Matthews is not one who gets frustrated easily, but Bergeron has made his NHL career on being a defensive gem. Still, in four career games against the Bruins, Matthews has five points.
Here are 5 Things to watch for when these two rivals face off:
1 Quick and relentless
The Maple Leafs have gone 142 minutes 17 since allowing a goal, with several factors leading to the solid defence. “We’re coming back hard,” Patrick Marleau said of the Leafs’ attention to effort. “And having a third guy high was important early on in the game (against the Rangers on Thursday).” The Leafs must continue on that path.
2Boost for the Leafs D?
We should an idea following the morning skate whether defencemen Morgan Rielly (arm) or Ron Hainsey ( illness) will return to the lineup. The defence corps has held up without them, but both would be welcomed back.
3It’s a four- pointer
The Leafs will have one more chance to beat the Bruins, on Feb. 24 in Toronto. Consider this game a must- win for Toronto with first-round home ice at play. “Toronto is an opponent we might see,” Bergeron said. “We’re trying to get away from them in the standings and push them down.”
4Moving parts
Like the Leafs, the Bruins didn’t practise on Friday, and it will be determined on Saturday whether defencemen Charlie McAvoy and Kevan Miller will play.
5No Marchand
Brad Marchand will be serving the fourth game of a five-game suspension. The Leafs will benefit by not having to plan for Marchand, who has 50 points in 38 games this season.