Toronto, ON – The Toronto Maple Leafs face off against the Detroit Red Wings after a loss to the Colorado Avalanche. The Leafs will be hosting the game at Scotiabank Arena, with the game being pushed back 30 minutes due to travel delays with the Red Wings.
- TV: Sportsnet
- Radio: SN 590 AM The Fan
- Time: 7:30 PM ET
- Live Stats
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Last Meeting:
The last time the Leafs faced off against the Red Wings was a part of the Global Series in Sweden on November 17th. The Leafs came out victorious in a 3-2 win that saw Bertuzzi, Tavares, and Nylander each score a goal for the Leafs. Nylander was the star of the Swedish trip and will look to continue to create offense tonight.
Over the Years:
The Leafs and Red Wings have a long history, both being a part of the original 6 NHL teams. In that time, the Leafs have come out slightly ahead with a record of 300–283–93–5 against the Red Wings. The Leafs have won most matchups against the Red Wings in the last 5 years and will look to add another win tonight, rebounding off of an overtime loss against the Islanders and a regulation loss last night against the Avalanche.
Team Statistics:
Toronto Maple Leafs
Power Play %: 6th in NHL – 26.5%
Shooting %: 10th in NHL – 10.6%
Faceoff %: 6th in NHL – 53.5%
Goals per game: T4th in NHL – 3.55
Goals against per game: 20th in NHL – 3.23
Detroit Red Wings
Power Play %: T14th in NHL – 21.7%
Shooting %: 3rd in NHL – 12%
Faceoff %: 16th in NHL – 50%
Goals per game: T4th in NHL – 3.55
Goals against per game: T24th in NHL – 3.38
LEAFS QUICK LOOK (21-11-8)
3rd in the Atlantic, 11th in the NHL
Last Game:
As previously mentioned, the Leafs last game came against the Avalanche last night, where we saw the Leafs have a solid first period and then play poorly throughout the rest of the game. Sure, there were some missed calls, but ultimately the Leafs didn’t play a full game and didn’t deserve to win. The Avalanche are a good team, but the Leafs will need to win games like that, as the best 16 teams make the playoffs each year.
Projected Lines:
We don’t have much info to go off of for the Leafs lines, but we do not that Giordano will come out of the lineup with Timmins taking his place. We also know that at least one person is out with an injury, meaning someone like Robertson could be brought into the lineup as well.
Leafs to Keep an Eye on:
- Conor Timmins has put up decent numbers offensively, with 6 points in 13 games with the Leafs this season, but with the blueline getting healthy, Benoit’s growth as a player, and some defensive mistakes made by Timmins, he has been out of the lineup since December 21st. Giordano has had some tough games as of late and is now sitting on the second half of a back-to-back, so this is a good chance for Timmins to capitalize on some ice time. Look for him to catch up to speed quickly and try to limit his defensive mistakes.
- Ilya Samsonov has had a weak season with the Leafs so far and found himself on waivers before the calendar hit 2024. Samsonov spent some time away from the team and, on the second end of a back-to-back, finds himself as the starter for tonight’s game. Most of the battle with Samsonov has seemed to be mental, as he seems to let in more weak goals after he’s already let in a couple of goals. Look for Samsonov to try and rebound tonight and get a feel for the puck, as his chances in a Leafs uniform are very limited at this point.
- Pontus Holmberg has been great with the Leafs this season and seems to be heating up as of late. Holmberg is a skilled forward with a high hockey IQ. Holmberg may only have 4 points in 14 games, but 3 of those have been in the last 4 games. He is starting to look more comfortable and is looking like an everyday NHL player.
Thanks for reading! Feel free to follow me on Twitter @ITRnathanbondy.
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