Leafs @ Penguins - Dec 9, 7:00pm - CBC

[herman]

@

18-10-1, 37 points | 16-11-3, 35 points


Projected Lines

Hyman-Matthews-Brown Marleau-Kadri-Komarov JVR-Bozak-Marner Martin-Moore-Nylander Rielly-Hainsey Gardiner-Zaitsev Borgman-Polak Andersen ​

Sheary-Crosby-Hornqvist Guentzal-Malkin-Kessel Hagelin-Sheahan-Rust Kuhnhackl-Rowney-Reaves Dumoulin-Letang Maata-Hunwick Cole-Ruhwedel Jarry​

Scratches

Josh Leivo Nikita Soshnikov Connor Carrick ​

Josh Archibald Carter Rowney Frank Corrado​

Game Notes

TOR
?It's the front-half of a back-to-back so Andersen (16-8-1, 2.66 GAA, .922 Sv%) will likely start, even though Curtis McElhinney earned himself a new lease on his career with one accidental monster save at the end of last season on Crosby to propel the Leafs into the playoffs
?Andersen is on fire; Since November, he's 10-3-1, has given up 3+ goals only 4 times, and had a game under .915 SV% 3 times
?After going on a bit of a tear in the final week of November, notching 17 goals in 4 games, the Leafs offense has dried up to only 3 goals in 2 (not for lack of trying); Matthews, Kadri, and JvR lead the team with 13 goals each, though Matthews continues to lead the team in EV goals (11), while JvR holds the lead for PP goals (5)
?How the heck does Marleau keep getting most of our game winners? He's already at 5 on the year and 103 in his career (one of those was Kris Russell's); his career average for game winners the past 5 years is 4.825 GWGs.

PIT
?Tristan Jarry (5-1-2, 2.39 GAA, .921 SV%) has filled in admirably going 4-1 in Murray's absence.
?The Penguins are coming off their own eked-out win in extras downing the Islanders 4-3 on MATT HUNWICK's shovel pass into the net for his team-defense leading 3rd goal of the season
?Did you know that Connor Sheary's name had been mispronounced for a his whole NHL career; it's Share-y, not Sheer-y
?Phil! is riding a 3-game goal scoring streak and leads the Penguins with 14 goals



Injuries

?Nathan Horton - Back - Out indefinitely ?Joffrey Lupul - Actually Injured - Out indefinitely​

?Matt Murray - Leg - Week-to-week ?Justin Schultz - Lower Body - Out indefinitely​

Stream Options

https://www.reddit.com/r/NHLstreams
​

 

[herman]

Dropping this one off a bit earlier because I'm not sure if my home internet will be up by tomorrow.

Rielly missed practice this morning, but seeing as how Leivo was the fill-in, Rielly'll be game ready.

 

[Kin]

Dropping this one off a bit earlier because I'm not sure if my home internet will be up by tomorrow.

Rielly missed practice this morning, but seeing as how Leivo was the fill-in, Rielly'll be game ready.

Either way, don't worry about Sunday as I've got that one.

 

[herman]

Dropping this one off a bit earlier because I'm not sure if my home internet will be up by tomorrow.

Rielly missed practice this morning, but seeing as how Leivo was the fill-in, Rielly'll be game ready.

Either way, don't worry about Sunday as I've got that one.

Thanks, Nik!

 

[Frank E]

Dropping this one off a bit earlier because I'm not sure if my home internet will be up by tomorrow.

Rielly missed practice this morning, but seeing as how Leivo was the fill-in, Rielly'll be game ready.

Either way, don't worry about Sunday as I've got that one.

I don not wonder why you picked the Sunday game.

 

[herman]

That?s the one I would have trouble getting in on time.

 

[Frank E]

That?s the one I would have trouble getting in on time.

How convenient for Nik that it's against the Oilers, his 2nd favourite team.

 

[herman]

That?s the one I would have trouble getting in on time.

How convenient for Nik that it's against the Oilers, his 2nd favourite team.

That was the side benefit for all of us.

 

[Zee]

The last time the Leafs beat the Pens in Pittsburgh, Kessel scored.

 

[ZBBM]

That?s the one I would have trouble getting in on time.

How convenient for Nik that it's against the Oilers, his 2nd favourite team.

That was the side benefit for all of us.

I'm sure Nik's GDT will be Fair and Balanced.

 

[disco]

Matt Hunwick is so good he's suiting up for both teams.

 

[herman]

You know what's not fair? Phil Kessel's shot.
https://theathletic.com/178584/2017/12/08/phil-kessels-shot-is-as-terrifying-as-ever/

On top of all that in the article, he apparently switches sticks 5-10 times a game, each with different configurations (blade lie, kick points, flex, etc.), so even if a goalie gets squared to Phil, he has no idea when or where the release will be. His scoring posture is also usually counter to what his stick is doing, and Phil still knows exactly where the puck will go.

 

[herman]

Matt Hunwick is so good he's suiting up for both teams.

Heh, I had some leftover copy/paste.

 

[Zee]

#Leafs lines at practice

Hyman - Matthews - Brown
Marleau - Kadri - Komarov
JVR - Bozak - Marner
Martin - Moore - Nylander

Soshnikov
---
Hainsey - (Leivo)
Gardiner - Zaitsev
Borgman - Polak
Carrick

Absent: Rielly

Josh Leivo has found a spot on the Leafs D!

 

[Strangelove]

#Leafs lines at practice

Hyman - Matthews - Brown
Marleau - Kadri - Komarov
JVR - Bozak - Marner
Martin - Moore - Nylander

Soshnikov
---
Hainsey - (Leivo)
Gardiner - Zaitsev
Borgman - Polak
Carrick

Absent: Rielly

Josh Leivo has found a spot on the Leafs D!

Babcock is just clowning around and Nylander is moving up, right? Right?

 

[herman]

Babcock is just clowning around and Nylander is moving up, right? Right?

You know, the starting lineup is not really a thing that Babcock sticks to in games. He's been around 18 minutes the past two games, both of which he started on the 4th line and bumped up to Matthews' wing when we were short in scoring.

 

[L K]

Babcock is just clowning around and Nylander is moving up, right? Right?

You know, the starting lineup is not really a thing that Babcock sticks to in games. He's been around 18 minutes the past two games, both of which he started on the 4th line and bumped up to Matthews' wing when we were short in scoring.

Although when you have to keep adjusting your lineup because it isn't working, maybe you should just start with the lineup that eventually does get things going?

 

[Andy007]

I still don't understand using Marner with your team's two worst defensive forwards. That's literally the worst possible spot in the lineup for him.

I really don't get a lot of these lineup decisions but hey, they keep winning and their coach is a legend, what the hell do I know..

 

[Frank E]

Babcock is just clowning around and Nylander is moving up, right? Right?

Nylander played 17+ and 19+ minutes in his last 2 games.

Isn't much more "moving up" than that, no matter where he's slotted on the lineup card.

 

[Frank E]

I still don't understand using Marner with your team's two worst defensive forwards. That's literally the worst possible spot in the lineup for him.

I really don't get a lot of these lineup decisions but hey, they keep winning and their coach is a legend, what the hell do I know..

Maybe forcing Marner to become a better defensive player?