WHEN
Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.
TV: Sportsnet, RADIO: FAN 590
ODDS
Florida –130, Toronto +110
THE BUZZ
Florida’s Stanley Cup hangover might be kicking in a bit as it has lost six of the past seven. The Leafs have won seven of eight, almost all of those without several key forwards who are injured or suspended … Anthony Stolarz is expected to get the start in net, having gone from a useful back-up with the Cup champion Panthers to the No. 1 spot with the Leafs and a league-best .927 save percentage to start the week … Coach Paul Maurice was quite vocal at Tuesday’s practice. “That’s what we need right now,” said forward Gustav Forsling. “We have to bounce back” … Maurice acknowledged after a 4-1 loss to Washington “a piece of our game is missing” … Defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson and winger Steven Lorentz also return, to collect their 2024 Stanley Cup rings and try and contain what will be an ornery Florida team … “OEL was a really nice guy, a really good friend, I miss him,” Forsling said “The (ex-Panthers) were big”… Toronto can open a five-point lead on the Cats for the division lead with a regulation win.
THE NEWS
Matthews (upper body) is questionable for this game after missing the past 24 days, during which the Leafs simplified their game and played great 5-on-5 hockey… Winger Matthew Knies is more likely to play Saturday against Tampa Bay as he comes back from an upper body injury … While the Leafs have been near the top of the league’s vital faceoff win percentage, Florida is labouring at 47.4 per cent, worst in the Eastern Conference before Wednesday.
THE QUOTE
“We need to have our best foot forward. I’m sure it’s going to mean a lot for the (ex-Panthers) to see that Cup banner. They worked extremely hard for that.” – Mitch Marner
THE POLL
Who is your favourite former Leaf coach of the Panthers?
Roger Neilson
Peter Horacek
Joel Quenneville
Paul Maurice
THE PROJECTED LEAFS LINEUP
Forwards
Bobby McMann John Tavares Mitch Marner
Pontus Holmberg Auston Matthews William Nylander
Nick Robertson Fraser Minten A. Nylander/N. Grebenkin
Alex Steeves Connor Dewar Steven Lorentz
Defence
Morgan Rielly-Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Jake McCabe-Chris Tanev
Simon Benoit-Conor Timmins
Goal
Anthony Stolarz
Joseph Woll
The Injuries
Toronto: Matthews (upper body), Knies (upper body), LW Max Pacioretty (leg), F/LW Max Domi (lower body) C David Kampf (lower body), F Calle Jarnkrok (groin), RW Ryan Reaves (suspended).
Florida: LW Jonah Gadjovich (upper body) day-to-day.
The prediction:
A good night for Florida to show its true colours, 4-3 Panthers.
X: @sunhornby