Toronto dropped their last game 4-1 to the Islanders at home, but tonight against the San Jose Sharks, they’re not just fighting for a win, they’re fighting to play a complete game. That “solid three periods” monster is still undefeated against them, and facing the Sharks tonight at Scotiabank Arena, the pressure’s on to finally conquer it.
The “Just The Sharks” Are Looking To Prove Something
The San Jose Sharks, currently sitting at a 4-3-1 record for a 0.562 Points %, actually have a slightly better record than the Leafs right now. It’s crazy how one close game can swing that Points % this early, right? But don’t let that fool you too much. This team is “just the Sharks,” and honestly, they’d have the worst record at five-on-five if the Flyers didn’t exist. Their “badness” is real, and it’s coming from extremely low event offense, which also explains why they’re dramatically worse in Expected Goals than Corsi. No team stays *that* bad all season, though, and their best three games so far have actually come on this eastern roadtrip.
Keep an eye on their young guns, especially Macklin Celebrini, who is absolutely head and shoulders above Ivar Stenberg or McKenna. While McKenna gets hyped as a “first overall” sometimes, that’s just setting unreasonable expectations. Stenberg is just Stenberg, McKenna is just McKenna, but Celebrini is the real deal. On the ice, their likely starter is Yaroslav Askarov. Their lines are showing Igor Chernyshov centering Celebrini and Will Smith, while Mason Marchment, Alexander Wennberg, and Tyler Toffoli make up another key line. On defense, Darnell Nurse and Michael Kesselring are paired up.
Toronto’s Struggles And A Star’s Status Up In The Air
The Leafs need to turn it around, plain and simple. Their 3-4-2 record, good for a 0.444 Points %, is not where you want to be. Losing 4-1 at home to the Islanders stings. And now, the biggest question mark for tonight’s game: William Nylander was ill for morning skate and is a game-time decision. If he can’t go, expect a complete revamp of those lines, with Bo Groulx already stepping into his top line spot temporarily this morning. They also recalled Vinni Lettieri, who’s currently on the third line, filling in with Nick Paul busy taking over for John Tavares. Good news on defense, though: that group is unchanged. Artur Akhtyamov was recalled, but that’s just a back-to-back move, so he’ll likely be backing up Sergei Bobrovsky, who is the expected starter.
Assuming Nylander *does* play, the lines look like this: Nylander, Auston Matthews, and Jack Roslovic on the top line. Easton Cowan, Nick Paul, and Kirill Marchenko will be in the mix, with Gavin McKenna, Colton Sissons, and Vinni Lettieri on the third. The defense will be anchored by pairs like Jake McCabe and Darren Raddysh, and Morgan Rielly with Troy Stecher.
Tonight’s game at Scotiabank Arena is more than just two teams battling it out, it’s a critical test for the Leafs to finally conquer that “solid three periods” demon and for the Sharks to prove their road trip isn’t a fluke. Every single point means something huge this early in the season. You can catch all the action on SN+, TVAS, and NBCSCA at 7:30 PM.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pension Plan Puppets.
Leave a Reply