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GDT: Tampa Bay Lightning @ Toronto Maple Leafs @ 7:00pm / SNO

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Burnie97

Burnie97

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Jun 26, 2015
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Alright figured I'd take a try at making a GDT. The one for the last game was a tad late.

I have a good feeling about this one tonight though . Leafs will come out flying.

LEAFS 2-1-1
Projected Leafs line up:


TAMPA 1-1-1
Projected Tampa lineup:


The Tampa Bay Lightning could have Brayden Point back in the lineup Thursday night when they visit the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The 23-year-old was not expected to return until late October after having offseason hip surgery, but he skated on the top line during practice Tuesday with Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov.

"Just to be part of the practice is exciting," Point said. "It's another step, and I'm excited. I thought I felt pretty good (Tuesday)."

Point had 41 goals and 51 assists last season.
The Lightning and the Maple Leafs are both highly skilled teams that were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs last season.

The Lightning, who had the best record in the NHL last season with a league-record-tying 62 regular-season wins, were swept in four games by the Columbus Blue Jackets, while the Maple Leafs lost to the Boston Bruins in seven games.

The Maple Leafs won their first two games this season, but blew a 4-1 lead in a shootout loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday and lost 3-2 to the Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues Monday night. Both games were at home.

The Lightning have one win in three games and are coming off a 4-3 overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, N.C., Sunday that concerned Stamkos.

"We just continue to be the freewheeling team that thinks we can just come into games and win because we're skilled," Stamkos said after the game. "We keep falling back into the same old bad habits that we've been doing, that cost us the season we had last year. Unless we change things, it's going to be a really, really, really long year."

Lightning center Tyler Johnson echoed Stamkos' concern.

"We have skill, but you don't always need to use that skill," Johnson said. "We try to make those cute plays. We try to make almost Globetrotter plays. In reality, that doesn't win games."

Jason Spezza, an NHL veteran playing in his first season with the Maple Leafs, feels that the team needs stronger work away from the puck to add to its offensive strengths.

"When (the game Monday) got away from us, maybe we didn't get pucks deep enough as we needed to," he said. "But for the most part, we hung with them all night. There were times when we really controlled play out there and if we can bottle that, we'll become a better team. They're the champs, they play a very disciplined game. I thought we did, too, for the most part."

The game Monday was the fourth in six nights to open the season for the Leafs.

"I liked us every night except the (Saturday) night on the back-to-back there -- the three-in- four," Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock said after the game Monday. " I didn't think we were very good. We have a chance to get a lot better, obviously."

--Field Level Media




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ShaneFalco

ShaneFalco

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Jul 15, 2012
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A must win :sarcasm:

Should be a good bounce-back game ! JT's line needs to get going
Holl has been pretty decent so far and adds some size and puck handling
 
hoglund

hoglund

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Tampa bay has our number, that's why last year was the Leafs best chance to win the cup. When Tampa bay was gone 1st round, all the Leafs needed to do was get passed Boston and they were going to the finals. I doubt Tampa bay will be gone 1st round this year.
 
Pi

Pi

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Nov 16, 2010
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hoglund said:
Tampa bay has our number, that's why last year was the Leafs best chance to win the cup. When Tampa bay was gone 1st round, all the Leafs needed to do was get passed Boston and they were going to the finals. I doubt Tampa bay will be gone 1st round this year.
Click to expand...

How does Tampa Bay have our number? Most of the games are evenly fought and in the regular season.

The team that has our number is Boston...even when we do well, we can't seem to beat them in 7. I'm hoping Boston wins the division this year so we avoid them in the first round.
 
Drytoast

Drytoast

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Sep 27, 2017
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SedintoHorvat said:
This is a statement game for both let's see who wants it more. The battle of the blue and whites tonight !!
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Was gonna say the same thing. Both clubs are not flying out of the gate and whomever loses will be stuck to wallow in recovery mode while the winner gets back in the mix.
 
Burnie97

Burnie97

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Jun 26, 2015
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Pi said:
How does Tampa Bay have our number? Most of the games are evenly fought and in the regular season.

The team that has our number is Boston...even when we do well, we can't seem to beat them in 7. I'm hoping Boston wins the division this year so we avoid them in the first round.
Click to expand...

I know you're most likely being modest, and not expecting the Leafs to win the division ... but let's all be honest with ourselves here... let's hope Leafs win the division, so we avoid Tampa and Boston in the 1st round.
 
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hoglund

hoglund

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Dec 8, 2013
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Pi said:
How does Tampa Bay have our number? Most of the games are evenly fought and in the regular season.

The team that has our number is Boston...even when we do well, we can't seem to beat them in 7. I'm hoping Boston wins the division this year so we avoid them in the first round.
Click to expand...
I agree Boston has our number too. Toronto and Tampa bay are evenly matched, but the Leafs were 1-5 vs them last year, most games were close, but they seem to have our number.
 
Nooodles

Nooodles

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May 7, 2010
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3 guaranteed TB goals tonight

Stamkos - No need to explain
Verhaeghe - Former Leafs pick
Point - So we can all cry about the Marner contract again

But Matthews will score 4 so it's all fine.
 
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Pi

Pi

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Nov 16, 2010
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Burnie97 said:
I know you're most likely being modest, and not expecting the Leafs to win the division ... but let's all be honest with ourselves here... let's hope Leafs win the division, so we avoid Tampa and Boston in the 1st round.
Click to expand...

As much as I'd like that to happen, I do not see it happening.

Leafs are unable to play situational hockey very well and Andersen is always good for a soft goal against in a crucial game.

The highest I can see them going is 2nd in the Atlantic.
 

Legion34

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Jan 24, 2006
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Hahahahaha of course. Point comes back.

Toronto plays division rivals on the second half of back to backs all month.

Then we get Tampa after a blowout with point back. Of course.
 
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