Toronto, ON – The Toronto Maple Leafs are back from the All-Star break after hosting the weekend of festivities. The Leafs and Islanders will be facing off tonight, with both teams looking to have stronger second halves of their season.
- TV: Sportsnet
- Radio: TSN 1050
- Time: 7:00 PM ET
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Last Meeting:
Tonight is the third matchup of the season against the Islanders, with both games needing to be solved in overtime, both of which being won by the Islanders 4-3. The Islanders now have a different coach behind the bench in Patrick Roy and will be the away team, unlike the other two matchups. Tonight will be a competitive game, with both teams having their last game played on January 27th and looking to get a solid start from the break. Tonight also marks Engvall’s return to Toronto for the first time since being traded from the Leafs. Ilya Samsonov and Ilya Sorokin get the starts for Toronto and New York respectively.
LEAFS QUICK LOOK (25-14-8)
4th in the Atlantic, 12th in the NHL
Leafs to Keep an Eye on:
- Bobby McMann was activated from injured reserve this afternoon and looks to be back in the lineup with both Kampf and Jarnkrok out due to injury. McMann is fighting for a depth spot on this Leafs roster and has shown signs of development since last season, but will look to push to prove he deserves a roster slot going forward.
- William Nylander will be looking to have a strong second half to the season, similar to the start he had, that led fans to vote him into his first-ever All-Star game. Nylander is quite skilled offensively and needs to be a contributor to help this Leafs team succeed.
- Tyler Bertuzzi hasn’t produced as much offense as was advertised when he signed with the Leafs, but with a fresh new haircut, and donating most of his hair, Bertuzzi will look to have a strong second half to his season with the Leafs. Keep an eye on Bertuzzi tonight as he looks to be a factor both offensively and defensively.
Thanks for reading! Feel free to follow me on Twitter @ITRnathanbondy.
