Tonight's matchup between the Toronto Maple Leafs (8-7-1) and the Boston Bruins (10-7-0) at TD Garden promises to be a compelling contest. Here's a look at the projected lineups and key storylines heading into the game.
Maple Leafs Projected Lineup
The Maple Leafs are making some adjustments to their top lines in an effort to spark more offense.
- Matthew Knies -- Auston Matthews -- Nicholas Robertson
- Bobby McMann -- John Tavares -- William Nylander
- Dakota Joshua -- Nicolas Roy -- Matias Maccelli
- Steven Lorentz -- Max Domi -- Sammy Blais
Defense Pairings:
- Morgan Rielly - T.J. Brodie
- Oliver Ekman-Larsson - Jake McCabe
- Simon Benoit - Connor Timmins
Goaltenders:
- Anthony Stolarz
- Dennis Hildeby
Calle Jarnkrok and Dakota Mermis are expected to be scratched, while Chris Tanev and Scott Laughton remain out with upper-body injuries. Coach Craig Berube has stated that Laughton is progressing well in his recovery. Anthony Stolarz is expected to start in goal for the Maple Leafs. Stolarz has a 6-5-1 record this season with an .889 save percentage.
Bruins Projected Lineup
The Bruins, winners of their last six games, are dealing with several injuries but are getting key players back.
- Morgan Geekie -- Marat Khusnutdinov -- David Pastrnak
- Alex Steeves -- Pavel Zacha -- Viktor Arvidsson
- Tanner Jeannot -- Fraser Minten -- Mark Kastelic
- Jeffrey Viel -- Sean Kuraly -- Michael Eyssimont
Defense Pairings:
- Charlie McAvoy - Anton Zadorov
- Hampus Lindholm - Brandon Carlo
- Parker Wotherspoon - Andrew Peeke
Goaltenders:
- Jeremy Swayman
- Anton Khudobin
Jonathan Aspirot is expected to be scratched. Elias Lindholm (lower body), Jordan Harris (surgery), Casey Mittelstadt (lower body), and Johnny Beecher (upper body) are all injured. Charlie McAvoy will return to the lineup after missing Saturday's game due to a family matter. Jeremy Swayman is likely to start in goal for Boston.
Players to Watch
- William Nylander (Maple Leafs): Nylander leads the Maple Leafs with 23 points.
- John Tavares (Maple Leafs): Tavares has 21 points and is a key offensive contributor. He recently called out the team's "immature" game management.
- David Pastrnak (Bruins): Pastrnak leads the Bruins with 19 points.
- Morgan Geekie (Bruins): Geekie has 15 points and has been a consistent offensive threat.
Additional Information
The Maple Leafs have lost their last two games. Their penalty kill is ranked 14th in the league at 80.4%. The Bruins have won their last six games. Boston's power play is 12th-ranked in the NHL at 22.2%.
