Dawdler
Run to the Hills!!
- Aug 2, 2005
- 2,315
- 4
MAPLE LEAFS (28-21-13) at KINGS (30-27-6)
7:30 p.m. PT; FS-W, SNO, NHL.TV
THANK YOU BOB AND JUDY!!!
Maple Leafs team scope
Forward Eric Fehr is not expected to make his debut with the Toronto Maple Leafs, according to the Toronto Sun. Fehr was acquired with defenseman Steven Oleksy and a fourth-round pick in the 2017 NHL Draft from the Pittsburgh Penguins for defenseman Frank Corrado on Wednesday. "I'm trying to get the lay of the land, figuring out the system and everything, see whenever I get in there," Fehr said after the Maple Leafs morning skate at Staples Center on Thursday, according to the Sun. "I flew in late last night so it's good to get an opportunity to grab a breath here and play when they (tap him on the shoulder)." Forward Brian Boyle, acquired Monday from the Tampa Bay Lightning for forward Byron Froese and a second-round pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, made his Toronto debut in a 3-1 loss to the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday at SAP Center. It was the third consecutive loss for Toronto, which is 5-7-4 in its past 16 games. Center Auston Matthews, who leads the Maple Leafs with 55 points (31 goals, 24 assists), scored in the defeat. Toronto leads the New York Islanders and Florida Panthers by one point for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. The Maple Leafs are three points behind the Ottawa Senators and Boston Bruins for second place in the Atlantic Division. Goaltender Frederik Andersen, who made 34 saves against the Sharks, will start.
Kings team scope
Forward Jarome Iginla will make his Los Angeles Kings debut in the opener of a seven-game homestand. Iginla, acquired from the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday for a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, has 18 points (eight goals, 10 assists) in 61 games for the Avalanche this season. Four of his goals have come on power plays. Against Toronto, Iginla has 37 points (16 goals, 21 assists) in 44 games. "Obviously, we want to improve our goal scoring a little bit," said coach Darryl Sutter, who coached Iginla for three seasons with the Calgary Flames. "He's scored 225 goals more than anyone on our hockey team, so this gives him an opportunity to play a little longer this year and play in games that matter." The acquisition of Iglina was the latest move by the Kings during the past four days. They traded forward Dwight King to the Montreal Canadiens for a conditional fourth-round pick in 2018 on Wednesday, and on Sunday acquired goalie Ben Bishop and a fifth-round pick in the 2017 draft from the Tampa Bay Lightning for goalie Peter Budaj, defenseman Erik Cernak, and a seventh-round pick and a conditional pick in the 2017 draft. The Kings are one point behind the St. Louis Blues for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference. Goaltender Jonathan Quick will start for the third time after missing more than four months with a groin injury.
Maple Leafs projected lineup
Zach Hyman -- Auston Matthews -- William Nylander
Leo Komarov -- Nazem Kadri -- Connor Brown
James van Riemsdyk -- Tyler Bozak -- Mitchell Marner
Matt Martin -- Brian Boyle -- Nikita Soshnikov
Morgan Rielly -- Alexey Marchenko
Jake Gardiner -- Nikita Zaitsev
Matt Hunwick -- Roman Polak
Frederik Andersen
Curtis McElhinney
Scratched: Martin Marincin, Josh Leivo, Eric Fehr
Injured: Connor Carrick (upper body)
Kings projected lineup
Jarome Iginla -- Anze Kopitar -- Marian Gaborik
Tanner Pearson -- Jeff Carter -- Tyler Toffoli
Trevor Lewis -- Nick Shore -- Dustin Brown
Adrian Kempe -- Nic Dowd -- Kyle Clifford
Derek Forbort -- Drew Doughty
Jake Muzzin -- Paul Ladue
Brayden McNabb -- Alec Martinez
Jonathan Quick
Ben Bishop
Scratched: Andy Andreoff, Kevin Gravel
Injured: Jordan Nolan (undisclosed)
Status report
Nolan did not take part in the Kings morning skate Thursday.
Who's hot
Matthews has 11 points (six goals, five assists) in his past eight games. … Leivo has nine points (one goal, eight assists) in his past eight games. … Nylander has eight points (three goals, five assists) in his past eight games. … Pearson has 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in his past nine games. … Carter has nine points (three goals, six assists) in his past nine games.
