Tonight, the Toronto Maple Leafs will again face the Philadelphia Flyers after last week’s 6-2 trouncing. In the rematch, fans should watch for several things. First, the Flyers have played far better this season than expected. Part of that is the influence of their fiery head coach, John Tortorella. He’ll be back behind the bench after a recent suspension. As a result, he should have his team determined and anxious to bounce back from last week’s poor showing.
Related: 7 Cool Things About Auston Matthews
At the other end of the ice, the Maple Leafs played a frustrating game against the Carolina Hurricanes that ended in a shootout loss on Saturday night. They will be hungry for another win against the Flyers. Look for Auston Matthews and Tyler Bertuzzi to put on a show.
Both teams have had trouble with ]special teams recently. The Flyers need to pump up their power play, and the Maple Leafs need to sharpen their penalty kill. Special teams could play a crucial role in determining the game’s outcome.
Head coach Sheldon Keefe will be tweaking his lineup out of need and a desire to see what works as the Maple Leafs near the playoffs. I expect to see Ryan Reaves start on the fourth line to help keep things under control in case the Flyers seek to push back physically.
Item One: Mitch Marner Won’t Play for the Foreseeable Future
Mitch Marner’s ankle injury is taking more time than expected to heal. Marner will miss the upcoming two-game road trip against Philadelphia and the Washington Capitals on Wednesday, extending his absence to five games. Keefe noted that Marner’s injury hasn’t responded as hoped, hence the decision to give him additional time to recover.
Related: Maple Leafs Need New Negotiating Strategy for Marner
Marner’s absence leaves a significant void in the Maple Leafs’ lineup. He’s been a key contributor with 25 goals and 76 points in 62 games this season. His dynamic playmaking will be missed, particularly on special teams.
In Marner’s absence, Pontus Holmberg is expected to continue partnering with Matthews. It isn’t as if the Maple Leafs don’t have other players ready to step up to show what they can do offensively to compensate for Marner’s absence. Now, they just have to do so.
Item Three: Ilya Lyubushkin Might Be Unavailable to Play
Ilya Lyubushkin is set to miss tonight’s game due to a reported illness. Still, despite reports, he’s likely to suddenly reappear on the ice – hurt, ill, or otherwise. Although he hasn’t yet scored a goal in the 62 games he’s played between the Anaheim Ducks and the Maple Leafs this season, Lyubushkin’s been a physical presence, collecting 140 hits and blocking 148 shots.
In seven games with the Maple Leafs, he’s played well enough defensively that his contributions will be missed. It’s interesting that in his 55 games with the Ducks, he put up four assists. However, he’s already added two assists in Toronto. Different teams.
Item Four: On Ilya Samsonov’s Solid Bounce-Back Season
Although a lot has been written about it, it’s still worth noting Ilya Samsonov’s impressive bounce-back. Given where he was in December, that he’s been able to win 13 of his past 16 games is confounding. Someone in the organization either is wise beyond measure or the Maple Leafs guessed right. The choice of how to help his return was dead on.
Related: It’s Not Time to Give Up on Maple Leafs’ Ilya Samsonov Yet
Instead of working on his technique and movements in the crease, the beleaguered goalie took time away from – seemingly – everything to work on his mental game. He played zero games during his stint (“re-set”) with the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies. Yet, Samsonov emerged from his “dark night of the soul” by showing marked improvement. He went on a five-game winning streak during a seven-game stretch. His resurgence was as unexpected as his deep fall into struggles.
The Maple Leafs’ non-traditional approach to rebuilding Samsonov’s confidence might have saved his career – even if it isn’t with the Maple Leafs in the long run. It’s a good news story.
What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?
The Maple Leafs’ power play has hit a rough patch recently, going 0-for-4 against the Hurricanes. Everyone recognizes the need for improvement in their power-play execution. Captain John Tavares noted that the team’s passes have been off-target and shots have been blocked, leading to missed opportunities, while Keefe emphasized the importance of being quicker and crisper in their power-play execution.
Despite the lack of results, both Tavares and Keefe highlighted some positive aspects of the power play, noting that the team generated a fair number of scoring chances against a tough penalty-killing team like the Hurricanes. Keefe conceded that the players need to find a way to break through.
Moving forward, the Maple Leafs will likely focus on their special teams. Their almost-but-not-quite penalty kill cost them the game on Saturday, and fans can bet the team will try to refine both special teams’ units before the playoffs begin.
