GAME DAY REPORT: GAME 29 – FLAMES AT MAPLE LEAFS
Calgary Not-so-hot-Flames (14-12-1) at Toronto Maple Leafs (17-10-1)
7:3OPM EST. TV: Sportsnet, RADIO: FAN 590
The Maple Leafs will quickly swing back to the ACC for the first of only three December home games as they face the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night. Following the loss in Vancouver on Saturday night, the Leafs now have the eighth most points in the NHL, with 35 on the board from 28 games. Still pretty good, but as Babs says, we need to get GREEDY.
Calgary meanwhile are having a bit of an indifferent season. They currently have the fifth-least amount of points in the Western Conference, with 29pts from 27 games. They’ve also lost their last two games, including being the team that allowed the Flyers to stop their ridiculous losing streak. Yikes.
I suppose we should watch out for three players tonight really, all of whom will have their names uttered relentlessly by the commentary team no doubt. It will be the battle of the Arizona natives as the downright annoying Matthew Tkachuk comes up against a contender for the best human being ever in Auston Matthews. Oh, and apparently the Flames have some kid called Johnny Gaudreau who’s meant to be quite good?
Jaromir Jagr is out, which has led to remarkable claims that we have seen him play Toronto for the last time. That’s most likely untrue. In fact, we might see him for another five years yet. Put the tissues away everybody.
PROJECTED LINES
THE NOT SO FLAMIN’ FLAMES
Johnny Gaudreau — Sean Monahan — Micheal Ferland
Matthew Tkachuk — Mikael Backlund — Michael Frolik
Sam Bennett —Mark Jankowski — Garnet Hathaway
Troy Brouwer — Matt Stajan — Curtis Lazar
Mark Giordano — Dougie Hamilton
T.J. Brodie — Travis Hamonic
Brett Kulak — Michael Stone
Mike Smith
Out: Kris Versteeg, Jaromir Jagr
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
Zach Hyman — Auston Matthews — Connor Brown
Patrick Marleau — Nazem Kadri — Leo Komarov
JVR — Tyler Bozak — Mitch Marner
Matt Martin — Dominic Moore — William Nylander
Morgan Rielly — Ron Hainsey
Jake Gardiner — Nikita Zaitsev
Andreas Borgman — Roma Polak
Frederik Andersen
Out: Connor Carrick, Nikita Soshnikov, Josh Leivo
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Johnny Gaudreau — Sean Monahan — Micheal Ferland
Matthew Tkachuk — Mikael Backlund — Michael Frolik
Sam Bennett —Mark Jankowski — Garnet Hathaway
Troy Brouwer — Matt Stajan — Curtis Lazar
Mark Giordano — Dougie Hamilton
T.J. Brodie — Travis Hamonic
Brett Kulak — Michael Stone
Mike Smith
Out: Kris Versteeg, Jaromir Jagr
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
Zach Hyman — Auston Matthews — Connor Brown
Patrick Marleau — Nazem Kadri — Leo Komarov
JVR — Tyler Bozak — Mitch Marner
Matt Martin — Dominic Moore — William Nylander
Morgan Rielly — Ron Hainsey
Jake Gardiner — Nikita Zaitsev
Andreas Borgman — Roma Polak
Frederik Andersen
Out: Connor Carrick, Nikita Soshnikov, Josh Leivo
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MIKE BABCOCK MORNING SKATE
So basically Babcock once again reiterated the importance of actually showing up for more than 20 minutes in a game. The “team who starts first normally wins,” he says – and he’s spot on. When trailing after first period, the Leafs are 1-7-0. When trailing after first two periods: 1-9-1. When opponent scores first: 3-6-1. Let’s actually show up in the first 20 tonight lads and extinguish these Flames (that was terrible, I’m sorry, but I’m rushing to get this out).
GO LEAFS GO!