Playing their third game in four nights with a late start at high altitude, keeping it simple with short shifts and four lines rolling is going to be the order of the day for the Leafs tonight. As will be a big effort from the John Tavares line and the Morgan Rielly – Jake Muzzin pairing up against the formidable Gabriel Landeskog – Nathan MacKinnon – Rantanen trio, although it’ll have to be somewhat ‘by-committee’ without last change on the road.
In the first meeting between these two teams, the Leafs lacked urgency and detail to their game after going up 2-0 early and were outworked at key moments of the contest, leading to a 6-3 defeat on a night that will be remembered more for the booing of Jake Gardiner from a smattering of Leafs fans.