Gameday: Blues at Leafs
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Gameday: Blues at Leafs
7 P.M. Scotiabank Arena
TV: HNIC RADIO: Sportsnet 590
THE BIG MATCH-UP
RW Vladimir Tarasenko vs. D Morgan Rielly
First line flanker Tarasenko was top five in NHL shots on goal before Friday night, his 32 matching Toronto’s John Tavares. Also high in the league rankings are Rielly’s 18 blocks in addition to plenty of points, the same amount of stops as teammate and fellow blueliner Nikita Zaitsev.
KEYS TO THE GAME
GOAL TOLL
One quipster suggested the major Canadian sports networks would be playing funeral music on Friday as they had no Leaf goals to rave about after Pittsburgh blanked the Leafs. But Toronto had 38 shots and there’s little chance they’d be skunked back-to-back.
TY ONE ON
The Leafs will welcome back centre Tyler Bozak, who has one goal in six games with his new team and possibly pit him against Nazem Kadri, 0-for-8 in that department, but with four assists. Kadri’s match-up assignment might be moved around to other St. Louis centres.
FEELIN’ BLUE
This is one of the worst Octobers in Blues’ history, one win in six games and tough road challenges against the Leafs and conference rival Winnipeg before they head home. Coach Mike Yeo has been moving some forward groups around to find chemistry.
BREAK ON THROUGH
There was little room to skate or get second chances for the Leafs against Pittsburgh, which made the focus of Mike Babcock’s Friday practice quite easy. Auston Matthews, among others, should have his legs moving better Saturday.
ANDERSEN ANSWERS BELL
There hasn’t been much talk about another slow start by Frederik Andersen this October, with a 38-save performance on Friday bumping his percentage to .914. But anticipated Blues’ starter Jake Allen is 3-0-0 against Toronto with a .933 save percentage.
LEAFS GAME DAY LINES
LW C RW
Patrick Marleau Auston Matthews Kasperi Kapanen
Zach Hyman John Tavares Mitch Marner
Par Lindholm Nazem Kadri Connor Brown
A. Johnsson/T. Ennis Frederik Gauthier Josh Leivo
DEFENCE PAIRINGS
Morgan Rielly Ron Hainsey
Jake Gardiner Nikita Zaitsev
Travis Dermott I. Ozhiganov/M. Marincin
GOALIES
Frederik Andersen
Garret Sparks
BLUES GAME DAY LINES
LW C RW
Jaden Schwartz Brayden Schenn Vladimir Tarasenko
Zachary Sanford Ryan O’Reilly David Perron
Patrick Maroon Tyler Bozak Alex Steen
Jordan Kyrou R. Thomas/S. Blais Ivan Barbashev
DEFENCE PAIRINGS
Vince Dunn Alex Pietrangelo
Joel Edmundson Robert Bortuzzo
Colton Parayko Jordan Schmaltz
GOALIES
Jake Allen
Chad Johnson
SPECIAL TEAMS
POWER PLAY
Toronto 45% (1st)
St. Louis 32.1% (6th)
PENALTY KILLING
Toronto 81.0% (12th)
St. Louis 78.9% (15th)